Though transformed almost into a corpse, he still found the superhuman strength to resist his captors.

Again he was sent to prison with the documents unsigned.

His trial was on February 4, l980, behind closed doors. There were many witnesses against him, most of them unknown to him. Dino was not allowed a lawyer, nor was anyone allowed to speak in his defense. The most damning testimony came from a man with psychological problems, who initially had proclaimed Dino’s innocence. But after being seriously threatened by the secret police, this man told the court that he had given Dino agricultural data which Dino had then transmitted to Greek security. The judge did not bother to call a second session.

On that same day, Dino Martiko was sentenced by the court of the district of Vlora to 23 years in prison, with loss of electoral rights for five years. He was sent first to the internment camp at Ballsh, where a month later he suffered his first heart attack. Later he was transferred to Zejmen prison at Lezhe, where he became seriously ill; he died at the age of 70, March 23, 1985.

His wife Sophia had accompanied him throughout, knocking on all doors in an attempt to make known the truth. But the attorney general said that nothing could be done. Enough people had spoken against her husband to insure a long sentence. In this way the system was manipulated to such an extent that one third of the Albanian population spent time in prison.