PRISTINA, 22.02.2018 – The Association of Journalists of Kosovo condemns the violent remove of a journalist from Kosovo’s Assembly on Thursday by a security individual. The latter first introduced himself as part of the cabinet of President of Assembly, and then as a member of Kosovo police.
According to incident report, the journalist was standing in front of the office of Assembly Speaker, Kadri Veseli where a meeting was taking place with representatives of political parties.
“Initially a person came out of office and asked me for accreditation and I presented it. Then, second person came out and told me that the accreditation has expired last December and I cannot stay there. But, we and other media have applied in time for renewal and it is the Assembly that has not proceeded with media accreditation,” Osmani told AJK. “He strongly holds my arm and forcibly took me out of the Assembly building.”
The AJK considers that this event is a direct obstacle of work of media and condemns the violent act against the journalist, despite that there was a clarification among them about the expired accreditation. No one has the right to act with violence against media workers and in particular in situations when the reporting has direct interests for the public of our country.
This event once again reveals the mentality and the lack of respect of our public institutions for the work of journalists.