Albanian sentenced for urging removal of Turkish flag

BELGRADE, Serbia

A court in Albania sentenced a man to two years in prison Wednesday for inciting protesters to take down a Turkish flag.

In the incident on Dec. 31, 2017, a group opposed the hanging of a Turkish flag at the Qafe Molle roadblock in the town of Mirdita in northeastern Lesh province.

Protesters gathered near the dam where the Turkish flag was hung, demanding that officials of Turkish company Ayen Enerji take it down.

The court in Lesh sentenced Lon Mollaj for "hate or incitement to provocation" according to Article 265 of the country's Criminal Code.

Mollaj has the right to appeal the verdict within 15 days.

He did not attend the hearing, however, as he was not in the country.