Judge Astrit Kalaja, 53, was shot multiple times shortly after handing down a ruling in the Tirana Court of Appeal.

A 30-year-old man who was a party in the case — a long-running property dispute — was identified by police as the shooter and arrested.

The opposing parties, a father and son, were also injured but survived the attack.

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) has urged the Albanian authorities to undertake an investigation which is “prompt, independent and subject to public scrutiny”.

It also called for strengthened security in all courts, systematic risk assessments for judicial and legal professionals, and specific protection for those facing threats.

Temur Shakirov, director of the ICJ’s Europe and Central Asia programme, said: “The courtroom must never become a place of violence.

“The state has an obligation under international law to take all reasonable and effective measures to protect judges and lawyers from foreseeable risks, to prevent such acts, and to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.”

The Tirana Times today reported that the attack has reopened debate around the consolidation of Albania’s appeal courts in 2023, which critics say has left the judiciary overstretched.

“For many Albanians, the killing symbolised not only the collapse of security inside the courts but also the erosion of faith in a reform once seen as a cornerstone of the country’s path to Europe,” according to its report.

In a statement on Monday, the EU delegation in Albanian said it was “shocked by the act of violence which resulted in the killing of Judge Astrit Kalaja and the wounding of two Albanian citizens”.

It continued: “We strongly condemn this criminal act. We express our deepest condolences to the family of Judge Kalaja. 

“This tragedy highlights the acute need for Albania to increase the safety of judges and prosecutors and to take all necessary measures to ensure security in courtrooms.

“The EU stands firm in its support to consolidating the justice reform and to upholding the rule of law in the country.”