March 9, 2017

09/03/2017: ALBANIA – SEEMO CONDEMNED ATTACK ON JOURNALIST IN ALBANIA

Vienna, 09/03/2017

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) was dismayed to learn that Elvi Fundo, journalist and director of the news portal Citynews.al and Radio Best, was attacked on 8 March in Tirana, Albania.

Fundo was attacked and beat by two unknown assailants around 10:30 in the morning, in the vicinity of his office. The journalist has previously worked on investigative stories regarding corruption and drug-trafficking and has stated that he believes the attacks occured in relation to this, rather than political interests.

„We harshly condemn yesterday’s attack on journalist Elvi Fundo“ SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic said this morning. „We have been informed that an investigation was launched, but we urge police officials to help solve this case as soon and as transparently as possible.“ Vujovic added.

SEEMO is a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South, East and Central Europe and its press freedom work is supported by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) project, as part of a grant by the European Commission.