Albania adopted the Minority Protection Charter on October 2, 1921. The charter guaranteed all citizens full protection of life and liberty regardless of origin, nationality, language, race or religion. Albania recognised members of minorities as citizens with equal rights. Albanian representative Fan Noli signed the charter at the League of Nations in Geneva.
In his statement, Noli said people could change their nationality within a specified period. He also said people who had lived in Albania before the war, along with their wives and children under 18, could obtain Albanian citizenship within two years if they wished. Noli also addressed the status of citizens living in territories that passed to Greece. He said they would be considered Greek citizens under the terms of the treaty signed between the major powers and Greece at Sevres on August 10, 1920.
The declaration also protected religious freedom. A change of religion could not prevent an Albanian citizen from exercising political or other rights. Meanwhile, minority members received language rights in court. They could use their language of origin in writing and in oral proceedings before judges, alongside the official use of Albanian.
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