AIDSSH Mission
Its mission is to provide access to the files of the Security and preserve the records in order to educate the public, support the democratic values of justice, truth, reconciliation and responsibility for future generations. To fulfill the mission, the Authority is guided by the values of transparency, integrity, cooperation, learning and proactive engagement, responding to the call of the European Parliament to keep alive the memory of the past, as there can be no reconciliation without truth and commemoration; Confirming Albania's position against totalitarian rule of any form or with any kind of ideological axis; It respects the European values of human rights and dignity, freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law.
The Authority exercises its activity for the documents of the Former State Security of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Socialist People's Republic of Albania for the period November 29, 1944 until the day of the creation of the National Information Service, July 2, 1991, which are available from all the archives of the archival network of the Republic of Albania and related to the political criminal offenses provided for in the law no. 7514, dated 30.9.1991, "On the innocence, amnesty and rehabilitation of ex-convicts and political persecuted", amended, regardless of whether or not a sentence has been given for these crimes by the competent bodies of the communist regime.
The Authority intends to consolidate in a single archive all the documents produced by the Former State Security; Ensure regular access to the information in the documents in accordance with the provisions of the law; develop research, educational sessions and curricula, and engage with the public through strategic communications; as well as the verification of individuals running for public office in connection with the Former State Security.
To achieve these goals, the Authority:
- Identify, collect and create an integrated archive of all known documents obtained from or related to the activity of the Former Security;
- To make the files available to the public according to the provisions provided in the law, including providing access to information in digital form;
- The Authority as a central archival source for research on Sigurimi activities arrise public awareness with the aim of establishing the Authority as a platform for engagement and understanding of the communist past in Albania;
- Support the work of documenting the crimes of communism, including the contribution to justice;
- Supports the process of identifying and recovering the bodies of those who disappeared or were executed during communism;
- It supports the verification of the officials who compete to be elected or appointed to public positions (vetting);
Promotion of transparency and transitional justice: The Authority aims to shed light on past crimes; to support the process of identification and recovery of the remains of the victims of the Former Sigurimi; as well as facilitate reconciliation, rehabilitation and transitional justice, reinforce the right to seek justice for all those affected by the activities of the Former Security, by undertaking initiatives that facilitate respect for the truth and meaningful participation of the public, including women, in the national dialogue on transitional justice; Initiatives to identify murdered or missing persons, to rehabilitate victims and to shed light on human rights abuses and crimes committed by members of the communist regime.
Vision:
The Authority will provide a reliable platform for access to the vast legacy of Ex-Sigurimi documents; for the engagement of Albanian citizens of every field by providing data, information and context from the archives of the Security for the experience of oppression during communism; and for functioning as an accessible and vital resource to assess Albania's past under communist rule.
Values:
- Transparency: Creating an open atmosphere in all professional relationships that promotes transparency about the past;
- Integrity: Demonstrating a commitment to honesty and integrity in dealing with the public, officials and staff;
- Collaboration: Joint and creative work with individuals and institutions that are also committed to human rights and objective research;
- Learning and engagement: Public awareness through continuous learning as a way to encourage democratic engagement;
Purposes of the Authority:
- Providing access to Sigurimi files; The main purpose of the Authority is to ensure the right of every citizen to see the information generated or collected about them by the Former State Security. In certain circumstances, relatives may view the files of a deceased or missing family member, pursuant to legal provisions to protect the right to privacy of any third party and to ensure respect for the human rights and the dignity of all persons. Providing access to these documents as quickly as possible remains the main priority of the Authority.
- Promotion of research and public education: The Authority aims to support the right of academic institutions, researchers and media representatives to consult Sigurimi data in order to promote rigorous and objective research on Albania's past and to ensure public education in general. This access will be guaranteed under conditions that ensure respect for the human rights and privacy of the individuals mentioned in the file. The Authority supports the research that helps in the re-evaluation of the activity of the Former Security and the evaluation of the impact of its activity in the history of Albania under communism. In addition, the Authority contributes in public education, addressing it through activities such as the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Former State Security, through partnerships with schools, the Ministry of Education, through social and traditional media platforms. An active research and public education agenda can help the position the Authority within the wider local and international academic framework.
Also, the organization of conferences, educational courses and publications relevant to communism in Albania, as well as links with wider research networks that focus on human rights, the communist legacy and international totalitarianism.
- Promotion of transparency and transitional justice: The Authority aims to shed light on past crimes; to support the process of identification and recovery of the remains of the victims of the Former Sigurimi; as well as facilitate reconciliation, rehabilitation and transitional justice, reinforce the right to seek justice for all those affected by the activities of the Former Security, by undertaking initiatives that facilitate respect for the truth and meaningful participation of the public, including women, in the national dialogue on transitional justice; Initiatives to identify murdered or missing persons, to rehabilitate victims and to shed light on human rights abuses and crimes committed by members of the communist regime.