Jailed Albanian mayor uses AI avatar to make deepfake speech

TIRANA, Albania — Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj has caused a stir with a video pledge of free school lunches for all the capital's children. There's one problem: Veliaj is currently in prison, and the blue-suited figure making the heartfelt announcement is AI-generated.

In an Instagram post on his official profile labeled as AI-generated, the video likeness of the 46-year-old appears in front of the Albanian and municipal flags, listing his achievements in office while reiterating his promise of free school lunches for the city’s kids.

"I made another commitment that I will never forget: food in schools," says the Veliaj clone. "I will keep this promise even from this cell where they have locked me up."

Veliaj has been in prison in the coastal city of Durres since early 2025 amid investigations over allegations of corruption and financial crimes. He denies any wrongdoing.

"My hostage situation has been going on for 20 months, and I can only greet you with artificial intelligence,” his avatar says. “I will continue to work even from the cell … I hug you with longing, you and your wonderful children.”

After his arrest and imprisonment, snap elections for Tirana were scheduled last November, but were canceled at the last minute after a Constitutional Court ruling found he could not be dismissed outside of normal democratic processes. Veliaj has delegated duties to several deputy mayors while he is incarcerated, but remains the official mayor of the city until municipal elections take place in the first half of 2027.

This isn't the first time imprisoned politicians have used AI to communicate with the public. In 2023, Pakistan’s jailed former leader Imran Khan used an AI deepfake to urge citizens to vote for his Tehreek-e-Insaf party during elections.

Then in July, an AI-generated avatar of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro appeared at the launch of his son Flavio’s presidential campaign. Bolsonaro is under house arrest and barred from participating in election-related discourse or events.

This is also not the first time Albanian officials have been provocative with AI. In autumn 2025, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama introduced the country to Diella, the world’s first AI-powered virtual minister, who was officially appointed to the government cabinet and tasked with rooting out corruption in tender and procurement processes.

A few months after the appointment, Diella came under fire when the woman whose likeness was used for her face and voice objected to the use of her image for a ministerial position.