NEW CRIMINAL CODE: Jail if you have… sex while traveling outside Albania

The new Criminal Code, along with a series of changes expected to be approved, has been circulating since summer 2025 and is now awaiting parliamentary approval. One of the main pillars of these changes relates to the toughening of penalties for sexual crimes.

For the first time, the law criminalizes the involvement of children as witnesses of sexual abuse, the exploitation of minors in prostitution in expanded forms, and the organization of travel for sexual purposes.

Regarding the third point, although it may sound unusual, Article 108/b states that if someone engages in sexual activity while traveling — that is, in a country outside Albania — they can face imprisonment upon return.

Specifically, the draft emphasizes that the penalty applies not only to those who organized the meeting or trip where the sexual activity took place in exchange for payment or reward, but also to those who did not receive anything in return.

“Article 108/b – Organization of travel for sexual purposes: Organizing trips for others, whether for payment or not, with the purpose of committing any of the criminal acts provided for in this section or in Articles 114, 114/a/1, and 117, regardless of the relevant legal provisions in the country where the trip is organized, is punishable by imprisonment from two to six years.”

A peculiar article

For example, if someone organizes a trip and invites another person, and the invited person engages in sexual activity with someone at the destination, the organizer can be sentenced to prison.

“KORÇA BOOM”