On 8 August 2024 according to KoSSev (https://kossev.info/) portal, several doctored images emerged on social media platforms featuring the faces of certain Albanian journalists from Kosovo and prominent Kosovan leaders. These images are accompanied by fabricated messages containing threatening content, including references to murder, with the logo of the KoSSev portal falsely added.
The Kosovo Journalists Association (Asociacioni i Gazetarëve të Kosovës – AJK – AGK – https://www.agk-ks.org/) reported this alarming incident, revealing that the manipulated images falsely implicate media outlets from North Mitrovica (Mitrovica e Veriut / Severna Kosovska Mitrovica) particularly KoSSev, and are aimed at Albanian journalists. AGK is currently gathering more details from the networks about this cyber crime case.
Both KoSSev and AGK have decided not to publish these manipulated images due to their highly disturbing nature. The Kossev information about this case is online: https://kossev.info/kossev-portal-and-several-pristina-journalists-targeted-by-disturbing-photoshopped-images/
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemns this cyber crime case and the recent circulation of manipulated images targeting Albanian journalists and Kosovan leaders on social media, which include fabricated and threatening messages. This malicious campaign not only endangers the safety and integrity of the journalists involved but also undermines the principles of free and independent media. SEEMO urges the Kosovo authorities, including the cybercrime unit, to take immediate and decisive action to identify those responsible and prevent further dissemination of these harmful materials. The safety of journalists and the protection of press freedom must be upheld at all costs.
The 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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