Kosovo journalists' security situation remains disturbing

The large number of attacks and threats against journalists reported this year is disturbing.

The impunity of the perpetrators of these attacks and threats has increased journalists' uncertainty of writing about negative phenomena occurring in Kosovo.

So stated on November 2nd International Day's footnote to the elimination of the Crime Deficit Against Journalists.

Only until October of this year are 23 cases of threats and attacks on journalists reported to the Kosovo Police.

O representative The SEU for Media Freedom, Harlem Desir, through a videocast, said journalists every day are attacked and threatened and 90 per cent of perpetrators and organisers are not brought to justice.

Desir, gave an alarming figure, where since 1997 throughout the OSCE region, 220 journalists have been killed and at least 4 journalists have been killed this year alone.

The X-rayers are always more visible and take risks to bring us information we need to understand the world. They are our ears and our eyes to the world and they serve us to understand society, to keep those in power, both political and economic control. That's why journalists are so often threatened. And this threat is a threat to our freedom of information and to our democracy”, Desir said.

Prosecutor Besim Kelmendi, who is also the national co-ordinator for journalists' cases, called the large number of threats and attacks reported this year in the police.

Even Kelmendi was not satisfied with the results of responsible justice institutions with the failure to bring the perpetrators to justice and threats, as well as their impunity.

There are several cases where we can really have much greater progress in investigations. If you see an event where the records are, where the witnesses are, then I don't understand the police or the prosecutor who doesn't succeed in such cases. Likely, people who come and threaten journalists are also foreign citizens. We have certain cases in Kosovo when they commit criminal and custom cases... We only have some data this year that is really disturbing, I've got data from the police that until just 16 August of this year are 21 cases submitted to the police that police have treated. But unfortunately, not because of the police or the prosecution or because of the circumstances to find evidence, most of these cases have not been forwarded to the prosecutor”, Kelmendi stressed.

The head of the Kosovo Journalists' Association, Shkelqim Hysenaj, said that the security situation of journalists remains distressing to write about all those information and facts they have on different topics, which has caused Kosovo to mark the reggress in journalists' safety.

“However, we are not marking a progress towards making journalists feel free to report on what they have facts. In our country currently a situation has been created when I am telling reporters often to think or publish information or not, in case it first produces any personal hazards for journalism, then colleagues and family” said Hysenaj.

According to Hysenaj, journalists have been waiting for years to resolve a case of attack or threat.

While, Kosovo Police Information Office Director Baki Kelani stressed that according to information he has, by October of this year there are 23 cases of attacks and threats recorded in the police.

“U said by prosecutor Kelmendi that by August about 21 cases were reported in Kosovo, but by October if I have accurate information, where the number has gone up to about 23 cases that have been recorded in the police. And it's really disturbing that figure, compared to last year that have been recorded 17 cases”, Kelani stressed.

Journalist Vehbi Katazi, attacks and threats to journalists have been linked to politics and politicians.

Kosovo's <x0Medias are certainly doing good work, and while doing a good job, attacks, threats and means of pressure from interest groups which, at least in our cases, are directly linked to political parties, with the government, with power. For years as I am a journalist, unfortunately the situation or the security of journalists has not gone by improving, rather by worsening”, Cajazi said.

November 2nd each year marks the International Day for Elimination of Crime Disabilities against Journalists.