A protester sets himself on fire in Albania
- 12 years ago
--STORY CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES --
A former political prisoner in Albania, Gjergj Ndreca set himself on fire Monday in protest over the slow payment of compensation for the victims of the communist regime by the current government.
According to media reports from Albania, he was part of a group of 20 former communist prisoners who were on the 17th day of a hunger strike over compensation payments.
He was taken to the hospital, where doctors said 40 percent of his body was covered in burns.
The government promised to award 14 euros per day spent in prison as compensation to political prisoners. Out of 25,000 applicants, compensation was granted only to 7,000 people.
A former political prisoner in Albania, Gjergj Ndreca set himself on fire Monday in protest over the slow payment of compensation for the victims of the communist regime by the current government.
According to media reports from Albania, he was part of a group of 20 former communist prisoners who were on the 17th day of a hunger strike over compensation payments.
He was taken to the hospital, where doctors said 40 percent of his body was covered in burns.
The government promised to award 14 euros per day spent in prison as compensation to political prisoners. Out of 25,000 applicants, compensation was granted only to 7,000 people.