On 14 August 2024, during a press conference, a high level police representative launched accusations on journalists over their reporting on a tragic death in Pogradec, Albania. The media in Albania raised concerns made by the family of the killed, regarding delays in the arrival of the medicine help and the police reaction and suggested that the investigation may have been incomplete.
In Pogradec a man died after a physical altercation outside a bar. The suspect was arrested by the police for “deliberate murder”. The local police also detained three other individuals for failing to report the crime and obstructing the investigation. The case is under further legal review by the Prosecutor’s Office in Korçë, Albania.
A high level police representative allegedly was accusing journalists of spreading “fabrications and vile accusations against the police.” He further characterized the media’s reports as “deliberate disinformation” and announced that the police would take legal action to ensure transparency and address what he described as a deliberate attempt to spread misinformation about their role in the incident.
The police comments have sparked concern, particularly the part that only the official police version of events should be trusted. This statement challenges the fundamental role of journalists in verifying information from diverse sources and threatens the independence of media reporting.
Criminalizing journalistic reporting contradicts constitutional guarantees of free speech and media freedom, potentially leading to self-censorship and a weakened independent press. It is crucial for the authorities to retract threats against journalists and halt any attempts to intimidate those who are simply fulfilling their duty to report on issues of public interest. Respect for journalists’ role in verifying information and informing the public independently is vital to ensuring a free and open media landscape. Any alleged disinformation by media should be addressed through appropriate legal processes in line with international standards.
Connected to the case reacted also Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama on the same day, 14 August 2024, who published a statement over the platform X (former Twitter) on his official account @ediramaal. Rama presented details he had from this case: “In fact, all the documented evidence, either of the police operation or of the electronic system of the National Emergency, show that the Police arrested the responsible person in record time for “Deliberate murder” and the Emergency responded to the call for help in 7 minutes!”
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) will monitor the case and developments closely.
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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