11.10.2024 – SEEMO Condemns Defamatory Campaigns Against Media Freedom Advocates in Albania, Monitors Situation

In early October 2024, the Council of Media Ethics in Albania (Këshilli Shqiptar i Medias – KSHM – https://kshm.al/) and the independent researcher Blerjana Bino became the focus of defamatory campaigns. These attacks have amplified concerns about a growing trend of hostility towards independent media and civil society organizations in Albania.

On 6 October 2024, over an online platform, Blerjana Bino (@BlerjanaB), a researcher and executive director of Science and Inovation for Development (SCiDEV – https://scidevcenter.org/), was verbally attacked in a smear campaign. The attacks were in response to the on 25 July 2024 published shadow report on media freedom in Albania, published in collaboration with Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT – https://www.balcanicaucaso.org/eng) from Italy. This report, part of the European Commission’s 2024 Rule of Law assessment, analyzed media freedom and highlighted key challenges in Albania’s media landscape. In the campaign Bino was accused of producing biased reports. Inflammatory language that jeopardized her safety was used.

You can read the report here: https://www.balcanicaucaso.org/eng/Occasional-papers/Media-Freedom-in-Albania-a-Shadow-Report. Bino also cooperates with the West Balkan Safe journalists network.

These incidents followed a separate attack by one other online platform, which retaliated after a ruling by KSHM Board of Ethics. The article misleadingly framed the Board’s decision as an infringement of press freedom, reflecting a worrying trend of media retaliation against regulatory bodies.

Both online platforms employed similar rhetoric to undermine advocates of ethical journalism in Albania.

SEEMO also condemns the attack on Top News journalist Alketa Shaba and member of her camera team during a live broadcast of a political protest in Tirana on 7 October 2024.

During the reporting one person verbal attacked and physical assaulted Shaba and members of the Top News team. A group of citizens, who were in the near of the incident, stopped the attacker from continuing the attack. Shaba informed about the incident the police office in Tirana.

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemns this campaign of defamation and will be monitoring the situation closely to ensure that media freedom and journalistic integrity are upheld. SEEMO also urges the authorities in Tirana to conduct a fast and transparent investigation connected to the attack on Top News team and arrest the responsible person for this attack.

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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In recent days, the editor-in-chief of the Regional Information Agency JUGpress (Regionalna informativna agencija – JUGpress – https://jugpress.com/), Ljiljana Stojanović, has faced relentless attacks in tabloids.

The hostility stems from questions she raised during a press conference held in Leskovac, Serbia, on 5 October 2024 directed at one politician. Stojanović asked the politician to explain the logical meaning of her criticism directed at couples who do not want/cannot have one or more children, or who enter married life later and later, when she herself, by her own admission, started a family “relatively late”.

Following this question, Stojanović was subjected to online media onslaught, accused of invading privacy and being disrespectful. The attacks claimed on social media that the journalist’s comments reflected a “brutal hatred” for women and motherhood, framing it as opposition to government policies.

JUGpress has strongly refuted these accusations, emphasizing that Stojanović’s question was neither a personal attack nor an affront to women, but rather an effort to hold public officials accountable for their statements. The media outlet underlined that their reporting, including the press conference in question, follows professional standards, and that they stand by their mission to serve the public interest by asking the hard questions that those in power may not want to hear.

According to Stojanović and the team at JUGpress they remain resolute in their commitment to journalistic integrity, asserting that they will continue to ask difficult questions in the public interest, despite attempts to silence them. As a media outlet serving southern Serbia, JUGpress insists that their work will remain focused on objective reporting and accountability, refusing to be swayed by external pressures.

You can read JUGpress article here: https://jugpress.com/urednistvo-jugpress-a-povodom-napada-ministarki-mesarovic-i-djurdjevic-stamenkovski/

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemns the recent attacks on Ljiljana Stojanović, editor of the Regional Information Agency JUGpress, following her legitimate journalistic question at the Leskovac press conference. The targeted campaign is unacceptable and a clear attempt to suppress press freedom. SEEMO will closely monitor this situation to ensure that independent journalism in Serbia is protected, and calls for accountability from public officials involved in inciting these attacks.

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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On 2 October 2024 the Basic Court in Šabac, Serbia, sentenced one individual to two years in prison for posting wanted-style posters featuring the editor-in-chief of newspaper Podrinske (https://podrinske.com/) Isidora Kovačević, one lawyer and one during the incident time still minor. He was found guilty of endangering their safety, receiving 10 months for each adult and 5 months for the minor, culminating in a combined two-year sentence. Additionally, he is prohibited from approaching or communicating with the victims for a year after serving his sentence.

The case has been ongoing for three years, including over a year of trial. While the verdict offers some relief, it highlights systemic issues within the justice system, especially delays and obstructions tied to those connected to the political elite. The posters, which surfaced after a violent protest in Šabac in 2021, accused Kovačević of being a “media sponsor of thugs” and targeted the others similarly.

Despite the sentencing, questions remain about the full extent of those involved, as this individual is believed not to have acted alone. The police have yet to uncover who printed and coordinated the poster distribution. Kovačević hopes the verdict is just the beginning and that further investigations will identify all those responsible, sending a clear message that threats to journalists’ safety will not be tolerated.

The person who had admitted to the actions claimed he was coerced by unnamed individuals, and is already serving a separate five-year sentence. Despite his claims of being under the influence of alcohol during the incident, the court found him criminally responsible. The case remains open to appeal.

You can read previous SEEMO article about this case here: https://seemo.org/ressources/22-12-2023-ongoing-threats-against-journalist-isidora-kovacevic-in-sabac-serbia/

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) will closely monitor the case and urges authorities to continue their pursuit of those responsible, sending a clear message that threats to media workers will not go unpunished.

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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Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico has taken legal action against Peter Bárdy, the editor-in-chief of Aktuality.sk (https://www.aktuality.sk/) news portal, as well as Ringier Slovak Media (https://www.ringier.sk/), the publisher of Bárdy’s book, Fico—Obsessed with Power (Fico – posadnutý mocou). The lawsuit seeks 100,000 EUR from both Bárdy and the publisher, not for the book’s content but for using a photo of Fico on the cover. Fico’s lawyers argue that he has the right to control how his image is used.

This case has raised concerns among media freedom advocates who describe it as a classic example of a SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation), which is often used by powerful individuals to silence critical voices and investigative journalism. The book delves into Fico’s political career, featuring testimonies from both his allies and opponents.

Fico has a strained relationship with the media for many years.

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) will be closely monitoring this case to ensure media freedom is safeguarded.

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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On 1 October 2024, photographers and video/camera-repoters were unexpectedly barred from the Law Courts in the Malta capital Valletta (Il-Belt Valletta), during the ceremony marking the start of the forensic year. Despite this being one of the rare occasions where the media is granted access to take photos inside the courts, photojournalists who arrived were allegedly informed by security personnel that only official photographers from the Department of Information, as well as allegedly those from the offices of the Prime Minister and President, were allowed to cover the event. The press ban came without prior notice, leaving many photojournalists surprised and excluded from documenting this significant occasion. No photos were sent to the media as was usually the practice over the official government channels.

The Institute of Maltese Journalists (Istitut tal-Ġurnalisti Maltin – IĠM – https://igm.mt/) quickly condemned the move, arguing that it violated the constitutional protection of freedom of expression. The IĠM emphasized that while concerns about publishing the faces of judges exist, this should not justify restricting media access, noting that the judiciary should not operate in secrecy.

In response, the Chief Justice of Malta Mark Chetcuti, born 1958, who was appointed as Chief Justice in 2020, issued an apology later in the day, explaining that the situation arose from a “lack of communication” and was not an intentional move to restrict press freedom. He further clarified that no such ban had been enacted during his previous years as Chief Justice. Nonetheless, the incident sparked concerns about transparency and access to public judicial events.

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemns the decision to allegedly ban press photographers and videographers from covering the opening of the forensic year at the Law Courts in Valletta, Malta. This move undermines press freedom and transparency, crucial elements in democratic societies. SEEMO urges the Maltese judiciary to ensure that such incidents do not recur, and calls on the government to safeguard media access to public events. SEEMO will continue to monitor the situation to ensure the rights of journalists and photo / video reporters are upheld.

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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On 30 September 2024, a disturbing email containing death threats was sent to the news agency Tanjug (https://www.tanjug.rs/) in Belgrade, Serbia, targeting its journalists. The sender explicitly warned that any Tanjug journalist entering Kosovo would be “shot in the back of the head.”

The email went on to state that the sender was closely following the Tanjug reporting, particularly its coverage of Kosovo and Albanian-related news, accusing Tanjug of spreading “lies.” The chilling message added that the movements of Tanjug journalists within Kosovo were being monitored, and they would face deadly consequences if they returned to Kosovo. This serious threat was immediately reported to the Serbian authorities, prompting a wider call for protection of the media workers involved.

In response, the Serbian Ministry of Information acted quickly, initiating contact with the High-Tech Crime Department within the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade, Serbia, to investigate the origins of the email.

According to latest information from Belgrade, the threat that arrived on the editorial email of the Tanjug agency was sent from the territory of Kosovo, the Association of Journalists of Serbia (Udruženju novinara Srbije) was told by the Special Prosecutor’s Office for High-Tech Crime (VTK). It has been proven that the sender’s IP address belongs to those used by internet providers in Kosovo.

On the other side, authorities in Kosovo responded to these accusations by denying the claims of threats and asserting that Kosovo remains a democratic nation committed to press freedom. The Ministry of Internal Affairs in Kosovo stated that no such official report had been filed with their institutions regarding the alleged threats. The Kosovo Police also confirmed that, as of their latest updates, no reports of threats against Tanjug journalists had been received.

Although the Kosovo Ministry of Internal Affairs reports that the case was not reported to them, with the fact that the information about the threat was published, it is the obligation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kosovo and the State Prosecutor of Kosovo to investigate the case. Bearing in mind the conflicting relationship between Belgrade and Pristina, it is important to examine all details. Considering that there is no direct cooperation between the police in Belgrade and Pristina, it is crucial that the information obtained by the Serbian police, including the details about the IP address, will be delivered to the police in Kosovo in order to carry out further investigations.

This case shows the necessity of urgent police cooperation between Belgrade and Pristina.

Journalists play a crucial role in providing independent reporting from Kosovo and their safety must be guaranteed to ensure that they can operate without fear of intimidation or violence. This incident serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by journalists in the Western Balkans and the importance of safeguarding press freedom in regions with political and ethnic tensions.

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemns the death threats made against Tanjug journalists for their reporting on Kosovo, which included explicit threats of violence. Such acts of intimidation against media workers are unacceptable and undermine press freedom in the region. SEEMO urges the Kosovo government to take immediate action to investigate these threats, ensure the safety of journalists, and uphold media freedom.

SEEMO will be closely monitoring the situation and expects swift and decisive measures to prevent further threats or attacks on 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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The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) supports the Coalition for Media Freedom in Serbia. The Serbian goverment must extend the public debate on the Law on Advertising.

On Monday, September 30, 2024, the Ministry of Internal and Foreign Trade in the Government of the Republic of Serbia launched a public debate on the Law on Advertising, with a minimum legal deadline of 20 days.

The Coalition for Media Freedom has already warned that the Ministry of Internal and Foreign Trade established a Working Group for Amendments to the Law on Advertising, without media associations and without the notification of the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications, which is responsible for implementing the Media Strategy, and in which four activities are linked for the field of advertising.

The Coalition particularly emphasized that it had repeatedly received a “promise” from the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Prime Minister at the time, Ana Brnabić, that coordination would be established among the working groups, established precisely because of the amendments to the media and other relevant laws mentioned in the Media Strategy. Part of the promise was that representatives of media associations, the Association of Media and Local Press, would be co-opted into the membership of the working group.

One year and four months later, i.e. one year and six months after the formation of the working group and the release of the Law on Advertising into public discussion, the status is the same as at the beginning: without transparency of the process, without coordination with the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications, and of course without new representatives of media associations … The process itself was conducted informally, therefore, without minutes from all sessions, without an agreed agenda – just as it does not befit serious institutions and serious tasks!

Among the omissions, it should be noted that the Law does not include the creation of a regulatory framework in the areas of public information and advertising by public authorities and political advertising, and in the process of e-consultations, not a single proposal of the Coalition for Media Freedom and Crta was adopted. Due to all of the above, and many more doubts, it is necessary to start with extending the deadline for the public discussion, so that together we can reach acceptable solutions, which imply professional, serious and thorough work, and in the end, a compromise of all actors in an important process for the future of the Serbian media scene.

The Coalition for Media Freedom: the Association of Media, the Association of Online Media (AOM), the Independent Association of Journalists of Vojvodina (NDNV), the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS), the Business Association of Local and Independent Media “Local Press”, the Slavko Curuvija Foundation and Branch Trade Union of Culture, Arts and Media ‘Nezavisnost’

On 25 September 2024, Ana Brakus, the executive director of Croatia’s fact-checking portal Faktograf.hr (https://faktograf.hr/author/ana-brakus/), received a disturbing letter at her office in Zagreb, Croatia. The letter, addressed to both Brakus and the editor-in-chief of the Climate portal, contained a note stating, “Please check the information I’m sending you,” alongside a piece of soiled toilet paper with what appeared to be human feces. Brakus shared this unsettling experience in an online post on LinkedIn. She wrote: “I’d love to say that this is the worst thing we ever received, but it’s far from it. It does take the title of the most disgusting one.“

This incident is part of a troubling pattern of intimidation targeting Faktograf’s journalists in 2024, which has included a smear campaign and even physical attacks. Earlier this year, journalist Melita Vrsaljko and a cameraman faced violent attacks over climate reporting. Such threats against media professionals raise significant concerns about press freedom and safety in Croatia. It’s imperative that authorities take these incidents seriously, ensuring protection for journalists and holding those responsible accountable. The continued targeting of Faktograf’s staff is an unacceptable assault on media freedom and must be addressed promptly.

You can read previous SEEMO article on Melita Vrsaljko case here: https://seemo.org/ressources/19-07-2024-seemo-condemns-attacks-on-journalists-melita-vrsaljko/

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemns the recent threat and harassment directed towards Ana Brakus, executive director of Faktograf.hr, which included a vile letter containing a piece of used toilet paper. This disturbing act of intimidation is part of a broader pattern of attacks on Faktograf’s journalists, including smear campaigns and physical assaults on journalists like Melita Vrsaljko. Such acts are not only unacceptable but also a direct attack on media freedom. SEEMO calls on Croatian authorities to thoroughly investigate these incidents, ensure the safety of all journalists, and take firm action against those responsible. SEEMO will be closely monitoring the situation to ensure that press freedom is protected and upheld in Croatia.

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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