ALBANIA - THE KANUN CODE

Il Kanun è un insieme di leggi tradizionale albanese, che può essere fatta risalire alla metà del 15 ° secolo, sviluppato da Alexander Dukagjini, eroe della resistenza albanese contro i Turchi.

”Il sangue deve essere pagato con il sangue.”

Il Kanun è un codice estremamente brutale, utilizzato per escludere molti aspetti della vita pubblica e privata degli albanesi. L'articolo 125 del Kanun dice: "Tutti i membri maschi della famiglia dell'omicida, compresi i neonati, cugini e nipoti, anche se separati, possono essere interessati da vendetta. Se un membro della propria famiglia è stata uccisa, è necessario vendicarsi sull'assassino o sui membri maschi della sua famiglia. L'assassino potrebbe uscire di notte, ma deve sempre nascondersi durante il giorno "Oggi, più di 300 famiglie del paese sono interessati dalla Kanun. Esse hanno tutte un unico modo per sopravvivere: restare a casa per il resto della loro vita.

Photos: Simone Cerio

BLJNSHT. Twins Houses. 70% of revenges happen because of land property disagreements. Nowadays Albania is experiencing a big internal migration, from mountains to Tirana.

Tirana. Helping unit which takes care of families on a revenge status. Lule, 4 years old. Her uncle killed a man.

Shkodra. A district where many families have found protection living

District of Kiras. Here a wall has been built to protect families affected by the Kanun code. They even have own guardians to patrol the area.

Lezhe. Rrila sneaking out from a house at night. Human contacts are difficult and dangerous. And the fear increases.

Lezhe. Rrila. Children under attack: they are the sons of a man who killed his neighbor.

Shkodra. Near Rreshen. Some men affected by the Kanun code decide to risk their own lifes going out at night

Kallmet. Edi,14 years old, has been living as a reclused in his own house for 11 years because his father killed a neighbor.

Lezhe. An entire family under attack. According to the Kanun code children should not be killed, but this rule isn't always respected.

Markulale, near Shkodra. Ester,70 years old. She is still in mourning after her husband was killed ten months ago. Now her family must complete the traditional revenge.

Tirana. Bathore. Markus,70 years old. He has been living as a reclused for 5 years with his wife. Their sons are all gone away.

Puke. Most of the albanians are muslims, but Christian community is growing more and more.

A Kalashnikov. According to the Kanun Code the AK-47 is the only weapon that can be used.

Bushat. Ndol,80 years. old. He show us his murdered sons. He is experiencing the Kanun with various families because he has killed 4 man and a woman. He's been living as a reclused since 1995.

Shkodra. The Cemetary. A boy show me his father’s grave.

Bardhay. The father of this child has gone to Greece. He is under revenge. He secretely comes back sometimes to bring money to his familiy.

Tirana. Here there is a great area where many families hit by the Kanun code live together helping and rotectin each other.

Lezhe. Gim shows us a gun. Many families under revenge have weapons in their own houses to protect themself from attacks.

Bljnsht. Two sons of a family under attack. The oldest took her mother's place who has been killed by a neighbor.

Bardhay. Nikolin and his cat. His father has left him to escape death. Nikolin lives now with his brothers and his mother

Shkodra. Family at the garbage dump. Many different Ongs organize school lessons for kids in the poorest areas

Rrila. District of Lezhe. A 4 year old child under whose family is under revenge. Her mother suffers from depression since her husband was killed.

Bardhay. A town district where many families hit by the Kanun code live together. In this house children have been living as reclused for many years.

Shkodra. Nardy shows us a wooden angel.

Vrake, a district of Shkodra. For many families who live here. the only solution is to move to another coutry, such as Italy or Greece.

all images © Simone Cerio

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