On the evening of November 28, during Flag Day celebrations, 18-year-old Ardi Saiti was arrested by police after being seen holding an “AUTOCHTHONOUS” flag.
Eyewitnesses report that the intervention was carried out by a police officer of Serbian origin, previously criticized for confiscating national flags at a public event last year.
Saiti was immediately detained, and both the UÇK flag and the “AUTOCHTHONOUS” flag were confiscated as “suspected material.” At the police station, investigators reportedly told him that displaying these flags constitutes “incitement of inter-ethnic hatred” and a criminal offense, despite the fact that the Kosovo Liberation Army (UÇK) has never been designated a terrorist organization by any international institution.
After nearly 15 hours in custody, Saiti was released the following day at 12:45 PM.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage, raising serious questions about the rights of Albanian youth in 2025, particularly in a country where over 30% of the population is Albanian. Many are questioning how displaying national or historical symbols can still be treated as a criminal offense.
Human rights advocates have described the case as a troubling precedent, reflecting ongoing institutional bias and suppression of ethnic identity. Calls are growing for authorities to clarify the legal basis for the confiscation and arrest and to explain why the flags were treated as “dangerous elements.”
This case is widely seen as part of a pattern of repression against Albanian symbols and freedoms, highlighting the urgent need for legal protections for minority rights and cultural expression in the region.
