The recent events surrounding the online news portal Lajmi.net (https://lajmi.net/) have raised concerns within the journalistic community in Kosovo, condemning the serious threats and obstruction faced by its team allegedly during their work at a session held in a court in Prizren, Kosovo.
Reports indicate that journalist Selim Miftari and camera operator Pëparim Tufa, representing Lajmi.net, on 4 April 2024, encountered significant obstacles while attempting to carry out their duties. The incident unfolded in the presence of a judge, where a defendant allegedly interfered with the team’s activities, demanding that they cease recording and delete any footage they had captured.
The situation escalated when an individual allegedly forcibly took the camera from the cameraman, Pëparim Tufa, and proceeded to issue direct threats to the team. In an alarming display, he warned them against publishing any recordings, asserting control over their journalistic endeavors with menacing language and actions.
Furthermore, the incident involving the Lajmi.net team underscores a troubling trend of threats and attacks targeting journalists in Kosovo.
The Kosovo Journalists Association (AJK – Asociacioni i Gazetarëve të Kosovës – AGK ) reacted and support the Lajmi.net team. AJK announced that 2023 was the year with the most cases of threats and attacks against journalists and the media in general, which were reported to this association.
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) strongly condemns the obstruction and intimidation faced by journalists from Lajmi.net during their coverage at court in Prizren. Such acts not only impede the essential work of journalists but also pose a grave threat to press freedom and journalists’ safety. SEEMO urges judicial institutions in Kosovo to uphold the principles of transparency and freedom of the press, ensuring that journalists can carry out their duties without fear of hindrance or intimidation. Additional we ask the courts and court security staff members to protect the journalists.
South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.
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