Riza Dani

Riza Dani (1887–1949) was an Albanian politician and activist of the 20th century.

Biography

Dani was born in a Muslim family in Shkodër, at the time part of the Ottoman Empire, son of Hasan and Baftje. His family traced their origin from Gojan in Mirdita region. After finishing the ruzhdije (secondary school) in his hometown in Turkish, he went to study at Istanbul. There he came in contact with the Albanian patriotic circles. In 1912, he participated in the Albanian revolt against the Ottomans.[1]

Together with Ndoc Çoba and Luigj Gurakuqi, he represented Shkodër in the Congress of Durrës of December 1918.[2] From 1921 to 1924 he was elected in the Albanian Parliament.[3] A supporter of Fan Noli, he participated in the June Revolution and was appointed Prefect of Durrës. With the suppression of the Noli's movement and return in power of Ahmet Zogu, he fled Albania, first to Italy, then to Zadar in Yugoslavia and settled in Vienna. There he became part of Noli's revolutionary committee KONARE from its foundation.[4] Meanwhile, a special court in Tirana sentenced him to death for his implications in the June Revolution.

Dani returned to Albania in 1939, after the Italian invasion and the overthrow of Zog's regime. He was involved in the Albanian resistance affiliated with the National Liberation Movement. In October 1943 he was elected chairman of the National Liberation Anti-Fascist Council in Shkodër. In 1945, after the liberation of Albanian and end of World War II, he was elected Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Shkodër District. On 2 December 1945, he was elected representative in the Constitutional Assembly of Albania.[3] According to Enver Hoxha, he opposed from the very beginning many of the proposals and stance that came from Hoxha and his cast. Involved in serious debates with Hoxha and Nako Spiru, he would be pinpointed and placed in the "black list". From the very beginning, he objected the list of the Assembly's Presidium candidates proposed by Kahreman Ylli, submitting an alternative one. Most importantly, he criticized the project-Constitution, as it contained non-democratic elements, and "it spun around a ideological axis, not a national one".[5] Dani was one of the main figures of the so-called "Grupi i deputeteve" (Group of representatives), 17 in total, which would be later arrested, imprisoned, and/or executed. The communists claimed that intelligence reports had placed Dani inside the committee that organized the failed Rebellion of Postribe in September 1945. Dani categorically denied it and said that his participation at that time was simply improbable due to family reasons. The Soviet representative in Albania, Dmitri Chuvakhin, was also not convinced by the allegations presented to him on this matter in a report by Koçi Xoxe.[6] Nevertheless, on 14 May 1947, 10 representatives were arrested, Dani one of them. The court sentenced him to death on 31 December 1947. He was executed two years later.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ Sheradin Berisha (ed.), Kryengritja e përgjithshme shqiptare e vitit 1912 [General Albanian rebellion of 1912] (in Albanian), Më 18 gusht 1912 një ditë pasi qeveria turke i kishte pranuar kërkesat e memorandumit, në Shkup hyri edhe delegacioni nga Vilajeti i Shkodrës: Avdi be toptani, Marka Gjoni, Riza dani, Mane be lezha e Mustafë Hasimi me 100 pushkë
  2. ^ Shqipenia me 1937 (PDF) (in Albanian), vol. I, Komisioni i Kremtimeve te 25-vjetorit te Vete-qeverrimit, 1937, pp. 40–41, archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-25
  3. ^ a b [1][permanent dead link‍] - Republika e Shqipërisë KUVEND. Tiranë 2005
  4. ^ Vllamasi, Sejfi; Verli, Marenglen (2000). Ballafaqime Politike në Shqipëri (1897–1942): Kujtime dhe Vlerësime Historike. Tirana: Shtëpia Botuese "Neraida". ISBN 99927-713-1-3. Ata që muarrën pjesë në "Konare" prej opozitës së vjetër qenë: Fan Noli, Qazim Koculi, Mustafa Kruja, Riza Dani e Xhevat Korça; nga anëtarët e ish- Krahut Kombëtar, civilë e oficerë: Kol Tromara, Qazim Kokoshi, Llano Borshi, major Shefqet Korça, kapitenët Ariz Çami e Riza Cerova; shumica dërrmuese e rinisë, që kanë qënë anëtarë të shoqërisë "Bashkimi", si: Halim Xhelo, Sejfulla Malëshova, Llazar Fundo, Qamil Çela, Demir Godelli, Selim Shpuza, Haki Stërmilli, Reshat Këlliçi etj.
  5. ^ Bombe ne ambasaden sovjetike, Uran Butka, ASD-studio, 2008 ISBN 978-99956-698-6-7
  6. ^ a b Thanas Mustaqi (2012-01-07), Raporti për Moskën: Kështu u shtyp Postriba [Report to Moscow: How "Postiba" was quelled] (in Albanian), Gazeta Lajmi, archived from the original on 2015-12-22, Me origjinë nga një familje myslimane shkodrane. Diplomuar në Stamboll. Në vitin 1924 deputet në parlamentin shqiptar. Qeveria e Fan Nolit e emëroi prefekt në Durrës. Pas marrjes së pushtetit nga Ahmet Zogu, arratiset, pasi një gjykatë në Tiranë e dënoi atë në mungesë me vdekje. Në vitin 1939 u kthye në Shqipëri. Në tetor 1943 kryetar i Këshillit Antifashist Nacionalçlirimtar të Shkodrës. Më 2 dhjetor 1945, deputet i Shkodrës. Sipas Enver Hoxhës, Dani që në mbledhjet e para të Asamblesë filloi të shfaqte rezerva dhe kundërshtime. Sulmoi projektin e kushtetutës "me frymë ideologjike dhe jo me frymë kombëtare". Nako Spiru dhe Enver Hoxha debatuan me Riza Danin. Më 14 maj 1947 u vendos arrestimi i 10 deputetëve. Më 31 dhjetor 1947 u dënua me vdekje. U ekzekutua pas dy vjetësh.
    Rebelimi, sebepi për spastrime kundërshtarësh