In a landmark legal decision that could set a significant precedent, a 25-year-old Albanian mother has become the first woman to be extradited from Britain to her home country to serve a prison sentence.
The Case That Tested Human Rights Protections
Lirie Delishi, a computer engineering graduate and mother-of-three including a newborn baby, lost her legal battle against extradition at Westminster Magistrates' Court. Judge John Zani ruled that the risk of the UK being perceived as a 'safe haven' for criminals outweighed Delishi's arguments concerning her right to family life under the European Convention on Human Rights.
The case centres on an incident in 2019 when Delishi was caught attempting to use a counterfeit Romanian passport while trying to fly from Tirana to Rome. Albanian prosecutors have been seeking her extradition to serve a four-month prison sentence for the offence.
A Family's Future in the Balance
During court proceedings, Delishi, who was pregnant at the time, gave emotional evidence about the potential impact on her family. She described how separation would be 'awful' for her two elder children and their newborn sibling.
'It will be so hard for me to be without him during those important months and I will miss my other children so much,' Delishi told the court, referring to her partner Edmond, who runs a construction company and car wash in the UK.
Despite these personal circumstances, Judge Zani emphasised in his ruling: 'It is very important for the UK to be seen to be upholding its international extradition obligations. The UK is not to be considered a 'safe haven' for those sought by other [ECHR] countries either to stand trial or to serve a prison sentence.'
Legal Precedent and Prison Conditions
The judge acknowledged that extradition would cause 'hardship' to Delishi, her partner and their young children, but stated that this alone wasn't sufficient to prevent the order being made. He characterised Delishi as a 'fugitive from justice' and noted that similar criminal conduct in the UK would likely result in a prison sentence.
If the extradition proceeds following any appeal, Delishi is expected to serve her sentence with her baby in Pojska Prison, Albania's only women's jail which has capacity for just over 100 inmates.
According to The Telegraph, Delishi remains in the UK pending a potential appeal against the decision. The case represents a significant test of how UK courts balance international legal obligations against individual human rights claims, particularly when young children are involved.
