Albania: Journalists Threatened with Death by Farmworkers

Albania: Journalists Threatened with Death by Farmworkers
Source: Little Visuals

24-03-2022

Alketa Hotaj

Europe and Human Rights Researcher,

Global Human Rights Defence.

On March 22, 2022, two owners of a chicken farm in Durrës, Albania, assaulted and intimidated a journalist and the operator of the television show "Fiks Fare", as well as seizing and damaging the cameraman's equipment. The media workers were investigating and reporting on the issue of bird flu which has become a concern in multiple Albanian cities causing widespread panic among the population. 

While investigating, Fiks Fare discovered the areas where the deceased chickens were disposed of, without a decision being taken by the appropriate governmental organisations on how these deceased chickens would be disposed of. Due to the exposure of these mishandlings of bird flu impacting farm chickens, one of the owners threatened the journalists, saying, "If you were a man, I would have beaten you up for death, both of you". After learning about the incident, the Albanian Audiovisual Media Authority (AMA) condemned the violence and characterised it as a flagrant infringement of free expression, which undermines the media's mission of transparency. According to the AMA, journalists' rights must be respected since they are an indicator of democracy.

Despite the fact that the Albanian police were summoned to the scene because of physical and psychological aggression being directed at the media workers, the police did not interfere. Unfortunately, this demonstrates that Albanian journalists continue to be subjected to widespread intimidation and physical assaults and that the Albanian police fail to carry out their responsibility of defending the rights of journalists to gather information, even when doing so is in the public's interest.

Bibliography

Safe Journalists. (2022, March 23). "Fiks Fare" investigative show reporters were threatened.

https://safejournalists.net/reports/fiks-fare-investigative-show-reporters-were-threatened/ 

Autoritetii Mediave Audiovizive. (2022, March 23). Kanosja e gazetarëve në detyrë, akt i rrezikshëm për lirinë e fjalës dhe demokracinë. 

Kanosja e gazetarëve në detyrë, akt i rrezikshëm për lirinë e fjalës dhe demokracinë – AMA