photographed in his appartment in Mamurras

Born on August 29, 1942, in Bulshar, Mirditë, Gjetë Kadeli was interned as a child in the infamous Tepelenë camp after his father was arrested and later escaped from prison. The surveillance and persecution against him began in 1957 when he was just 17 years old.

He was first arrested on April 19, 1962, and released a few months later, on November 23, 1962, under an amnesty. The charges against him included “illegal possession of weapons” and “harboring fugitives.” On August 3, 1972, he was arrested again, this time for “carrying a knife,” and the Krujë District Court sentenced him to 10 years in prison. While serving his sentence in the Spaç prison camp, Gjetë became involved in the prisoner revolt on May 21, 1973, during which he proposed raising the Albanian flag without the communist star. For this act, he was rearrested two days later and, on July 25, 1973, the Mirditë District Court sentenced him to an additional 15 years in prison.

He was finally released on December 7, 1987, having served a total of 15 years, 11 months, and 8 days in prison. Even after his release, Gjetë remained under surveillance until January 1991, when the communist regime fell. Today, Gjetë Kadeli is one of the most active witnesses to the crimes of Albania’s communist dictatorship, sharing his story in schools, public events, documentaries, and other platforms.