The aggressive campaign that several news media have been waging in the past few days against “Life in Kosovo,” an investigative programme broadcast by public TV service RTK, and the programme’s presenter, Jeta Xharra, is becoming more sinister and threatening.
The campaign started after a Life in Kosovo report about alleged atrocities by the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK) during the 1998-99 Kosovo War. A Life in Kosovo crew was also expelled from the municipality of Skenderaj (in the central Drenica region) while preparing a report there.
The smear campaign intensified after a programme about press freedom in Kosovo on 28 May that described how the government used its advertising to influence the media. Xharra also referred to recent dismissals of journalists regarded as critical of the authorities.
The campaign is being led by the tabloid newspaper Infopress, which
accuses Life in Kosovo of denigrating Drenica, claims that Xharra is a
Serbian spy and is demanding the programme’s withdrawal. The newspaper has also repeatedly published threatening letters from readers, thereby endorsing their content. “Jeta is exposing herself to the possibility of a short life,” an Infopress journalist wrote on 4 June.
A petition call from Kosovo NGO-s and different medias in Kosovo and Albania is already being signed requesting the Kosovo Assembly to undertake steps to protect freedom of expression in Kosovo, independent media and democracy in Kosovo.
Please react to stop this verbal violence against fair journalism and spiritual corruption that Kosovo officials are demonstrating. Sign the petition and send it to this contact: dani@fol-08.org or besiana.lushaj@gmail.com
Documents:
- Open Letter
Open letter regarding the threats to Kosovar journalists (in English).
More info:
