Rubber bullets and pellets in Tirana protests, 17-24 Oct 2026 (aggregate, incl. journalists)
Status: Protests ongoing at 31 Oct 2026; prosecution of rubber-bullet use not reported
Summary
Police in Tirana used rubber bullets from 17 October 2026, according to Al Jazeera, Reuters (via SCMP) and a change.org petition. The State Police chief, Skender Hita, confirmed their use at a press conference on Saturday 17 October, saying they were used 'in a limited manner'. Reuters reporters said pellets hit two of their journalists and several protesters. RSF says at least 12 journalists and media workers were physically attacked while covering protests between 13 and 19 October, most by police. Injury totals conflict across reports: a Health Ministry figure of 272 injured since the Tuesday, including 169 police (from the existing police-violence file, not re-checked), and a reported 132 injured officers over five days (AP/Al Jazeera). Arrest figures also conflict: 167 (AFP/AP) versus 1,067 (Reuters copy).
Case details
- Location
- Tirana, Albania (including outside the Ministry of Education and near Parliament)
- Person injured
- Multiple (unnamed in sources, except Vishkulli above)
- Injury
- Reports of wounds to heads, eyes, necks and legs from rubber bullets (petition, citing journalists and first-aid volunteers; not independently confirmed). Two Reuters journalists were hit by pellets on 17 Oct (secondary reports; names and injuries not given).
- Police statement
- Skender Hita confirmed rubber bullets were used 'in a limited manner' and said seven officers had been suspended for 'exceeding their authority' and failing proportionality, pending disciplinary investigations (as reported in Albanian Daily News and Reuters-derived coverage).
- Prosecution file
- Not identified for rubber-bullet use in general
- Prosecution status
- Disciplinary investigations of seven officers reported; no criminal outcome
- Footage
- Reuters video showing police firing toward crowds outside the Education Ministry is listed in(vid-reuters-shotgun-education-ministry-2026-10-17) and.
- Official response
- Hita defended the limited use. PM Rama attributed the protests to foreign actors and 'hybrid war' claims (search summaries). Ombudsman monitoring of use of force, including rubber bullets, is reported as ongoing (drafting recommendations on 30 Oct per existing file).
- Outcome
- Unresolved as of 31 Oct 2026.
The record
Four lists kept apart on purpose: what is established, what is only alleged, what is still open, and what those concerned said.
What is proven (0)
Established by documents or official records, as stated in the research. A recorded charge or indictment proves only that the accusation was made.
Nothing recorded in this list.
What is alleged (0)
Accusations, not findings. Those accused are presumed innocent.
Nothing recorded in this list.
Open questions (0)
Nothing recorded in this list.
Responses (0)
Responses of the people and organisations concerned, as recorded.
Nothing recorded in this list.
Sources for this record
Every source the research cites for this record, grouped by its source label. 5 sources.
Source label: Officially reportedOfficially reported · 5 sources
- Publisher
- Al Jazeera
- Date
- 17 Oct 2026
- Publisher
- SCMP (Reuters report)
- Date
- 17 Oct 2026
- Publisher
- Reporters Without Borders
- Date
- Oct 2026
- Publisher
- Albanian Daily News
- Date
- Oct 2026
- Publisher
- Change.org (petition, advocacy)
- Date
- Oct 2026