Albania's intelligence chief Vlora Hiseni arrested, accused of revealing state secrets
Hiseni was detained at the Vrbinica border crossing and brought to Tirana after a court ordered house arrest and suspension; SPAK ties her to the AKSHI investigation.
23 September 2026 — Vlora Hiseni, director of Albania's intelligence service SHISH, was arrested at the Vrbinica border crossing and transported to Tirana after a court ordered house arrest and her suspension from duty.
Background
The Special Prosecutor's Office Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) said Hiseni is suspected of aiding a perpetrator and of revealing state secrets as part of a probe linked to the AKSHI case. Authorities carried out the measure after a special court ordered restrictions against her.
Prime Minister Edi Rama announced He removed Hiseni from her post while he was in Washington; the dismissal followed the court decision and was implemented by the government in Tirana.
According to the account of her career, Hiseni rose through the Kosovo Intelligence Agency, serving as deputy director from 2019 until her removal in 2021 during the government of Albin Kurti. In 2023 she was appointed head of SHISH on the proposal of Edi Rama and confirmed by a decree of President Bajram Begaj.
SPAK says the investigation into Hiseni is part of a wider affair connected to AKSHI, Albania's National Agency for Information Society, where prosecutors are examining alleged abuses and leaks of confidential data.
The case remains under investigation and could lead to further legal steps as SPAK continues to gather evidence and question suspects linked to the AKSHI inquiry.
Photo: press material from the event
