Havzi Nela, poet and anti-communist, was born in the village of Kollovoz in Kukës. After completing primary and secondary school, he began his studies at the Higher Pedagogical Institute of Shkodra (today “Luigj Gurakuqi” University), but was expelled for his beliefs as a destructive element. Later he managed to finish the Higher Pedagogical Institute of Shkodra, by correspondence. He worked as a teacher in different villages, such as Kruma, Lojma and Shishtaveci, until 1967, when he moved to Topojan. On April 26, 1967, together with his wife, they crossed the border with Kosova. They were arrested by Yugoslav soldiers and imprisoned in Prizren prison. On May 6, 1967, the Yugoslavs returned them to the border point of Morina, in exchange for Albanians from Kosova, which the communist government of Enver Hoxha handed over to the Yugoslav secret police, the UDB. On May 22, 1967, he was sentenced to fifteen years in prison for illegal border crossing. All his property was confiscated. The wife was sentenced to ten years in prison. On June 24, 1988, the Supreme Court rejected Lavdie Nela’s request, and he was sentenced to death by hanging. The final approval of the death sentence by the President of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, Ramiz Alia, led to his execution on August 10, 1988, in the middle of the city of Kukes. He was decorated with the “Martyr of Democracy” medal by the President of the Republic. (In the photo: Havzi Nela)
Text: Encyclopedic dictionary of victims of communist terror – Vol. VI , Institute for the Study of Crimes and Consequences of Communism, “WestPrint”, Tirana, 2017, page 75.
Photo: © https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havzi_Nela
Graphic processing: AHCF
