Isa Myzyraj (@IsamyzyrajAlb), a journalist at Ora News (https://www.oranews.tv – @rtvora) , photo reporter, as also a human rights activist, who worked in the past for Dritare TV (https://dritare.net), received a life-threatening email on Tuesday 12 March 2024, raising concerns about press freedom and safety in Albania.
The email, containing hateful language, anti-Semitic, and homophobic remarks, was sent to both Myzyraj’s personal account and Ora News TV newsroom. The sender appears to be of foreign origin. Among other things it was written “we will do to Isa like Hitler did”
Speaking to Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN – https://birn.eu.com/news-and-events/), Myzyraj expressed certainty that the threat stemmed from his work as a journalist and activist. He noted that the email also targeted his employers, suggesting a possible link to his professional activities.
In response to the incident, Deputy of the Democratic Party of Albania (Partia Demokratike e Shqipërisë – PDSh / PD) Ina Zhupa called for swift action to identify and apprehend the perpetrator. Zhupa, a member of the media commission, condemned the threat, emphasizing the need to protect journalists who work in the public interest.
As the case unfolds, questions about press freedom and journalist safety in Albania come to the forefront. It remains crucial for authorities to ensure the safety and security of journalists and uphold the principles of freedom of speech and expression.
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemns the threats against Isa Myzyraj, a journalist at Ora News and a human rights advocate in Albania. The organization expresses grave concern over the recent email containing hateful and discriminatory language, which not only targeted Myzyraj personally but also posed a direct threat to press freedom and journalistic integrity in Albania. SEEMO calls upon Albanian authorities to swiftly investigate this matter, identify the perpetrators, and ensure that they are held accountable for their actions. Journalists must be able to carry out their duties without fear of intimidation or reprisal, and SEEMO stands in solidarity with Myzyraj and all journalists in Albania who uphold the principles of press freedom and democracy.
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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