KASI report: Kosovo non-compliance in punishing human rights offenders

The US State Department has released Tuesday's newest report regarding respect for human rights in the world, and in the part of Kosovo it has mentioned that the Government has undertaken “loan steps for non-consistents in identification, investigation, prosecution and punishment of officials who have committed human rights violations”.

In the report for 2024, it is noted that the Association of Kosovo Journalists (AGK) has reported that it was several times the target of defamation campaigns when it protected journalists and media.

“The AGK has reported that government officials, including the prime minister and members of the ruling political party, are involved in defamation campaigns to undermine public confidence in the media”, are mentioned in the report.

It also said that AGK reported dozens of cases when government officials, political leaders, judicial staff, business interests, alleged criminals, protesters and religious groups have physically or blindly attacked journalists, damaging their equipment, or conducting cyber attacks on the media.

“Gasers have said pressure from politicians and organised criminal groups has often resulted in self-defence. Some journalists have refrained from research because of fear of physical safety or safety at work. Journalists have acknowledged that in some cases financial benefits have been offered, in exchange for positive reporting or for abandoning research”, were said in the report.

Kosovo has marked the biggest decline in the last 15 years in the international organisation's annual press freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders, ranking 99th in the world from 180 states.

This is the second consecutive year Kosovo has scored, as it fell from 56th to 75th in 2024.

In the report published by Reporters Without Borders on May 2nd, Kosovo is ranked the worst in the Western Balkans area and the European Union.

The incumbent Kosovo government has dismissed the findings of Reporters Without Borders' report this year, saying that “does not reflect the true situation” in Kosovo.

The U.S. State Department report also mentioned adoption of the Law on Independent Media Commission, which, among other things, envisioned internet media licensing, monitoring them and fines of up to 400,000 euros.

The Constitutional Court has overturned this law in April this year, after finding that some of its provisions were not in line with the country's Constitution.

Independent Media Commission (KPM) based in 2005 é is a competent body for regulation, management and monitoring of the frequency transmission spectrum in the Republic of Kosovo, reports REL.

The AGK functions as the inefficient association, while the Council of Kosovo's Written Media is a self-regulated body./Periscopi/