Translations: Pristina
Case info
Personal info
- Regional centerPristina
- Who was attacked?Journalist
- GenderMale
- Victim(s) nameVehbi Kajtazi
Media outlet
- Name of the media outletPaparaci
- Type of media platformOnline Media
- Source of information about the incidentFacebook
Incident Data
- Date of incident08.10.2024
- CityPristina
- Perpetrator(s)Known (convicted)
- Attacked by(ordinary) citizens
- Means of incidents and attacksChat applications
- Type of incidentlife_threat
Action by the authorities
- Police actionThe police arrested the person who threatened journalist Vehbi Kajtazi on Wednesday, October 9, one day after Kajtazi revealed the threats that he received.
- Public prosecutor's actionThe prosecution said that Kajtazi was sent the threat over an article published on the Pristina-based news website Insajderi in May this year, although the victim was not the author of the article.
- Court actionThe Pristina Basic Court, on Monday, 4 November, sentenced lawyer Driton Dobruna to 150 days in prison after he admitted sending a death threat to Kosovo journalist, Vehbi Kajtazi, Neither Kajtazi nor Dobruna were present in court when the judge announced the verdict, which can be appealed Dobruna was accused of sending Kajtazi the following threatening message on October 8: "Do you know what is the hardest pain for someone... to douse him with gasoline and extinguish it two minutes later with firefighters, and do it on repeat until you die."
- Legal status of the casePerpetrator is convicted
- Type of violationSecurity threat
Action taken by the journalists' association
- Was journalist's association informed by the journalists directly?Yes
- What was the reaction of the journalists' association?The association reacted publicly
The journalist and director of the online media outlet Paparaci.com, Vehbi Kajtazi, has received death threats through messages on his Facebook account.
On Facebook, Kajtazi has been threatened that he will be burned with gasoline, while the perpetrator has vowed to sell his house in order to meet with Kajtazi.
The Association of Journalists of Kosovo is extremely concerned with the death threats received by journalist Vehbi Kajtazi.
AJK asks the responsible authorities and law enforcement agencies of the Republic of Kosovo to provide security for journalist Kajtazi and to urgently address the threat he received on the evening of October 8, through a message on his Facebook account.
AJK has contacted the Kajtazi and he has already informed the responsible authorities about the serious threat he received.
AJK asks the Kosovo Police to react quickly to locate the threat in order to avoid any danger to the life of journalist Vehbi Kajtazi.