Prishtina, 06.05.2020 – The Association of Journalists of Kosovo, on the 5th of May 2020 has received a complaint from Yllka Ahmetxhekaj – journalist, who claims to have been prevented by a Kosovo policeman during her work.
Referring to the complaint addressed to AJK, the journalist who is a staff member of ‘Periskopi’ – online news portal, has been prevented during one of her investigations in regards to a quarantine case, even though she proclaims that the interviewees, part of the investigation, were very relaxed and did not show hesitation to answer questions during the conversation.
However, during the day, Ahmetxhekaj has been called by a person who introduced himself as a policeman from the Investigation Unit in Gjilan. He told Ahmetxhekaj that she had committed a criminal offense by interviewing these people as she had disturbed them, and therefore other calls would follow where her case would be further discussed.
Given that such a phone call was made by an official number of the Investigation Unit in Gjilan, AJK contacted the Kosovo Police by asking about the policeman who prevented the aforementioned journalist, about upon which rights did he request to know the sources of the journalist and on what basis the journalist in question was told that she had in fact committed a criminal offense. So far, AJK has not received any answer to the questions.
AJK condemns such improper approaches to journalists and reminds state officials that they must refrain from verbal attacks and pressure of any kind directed to media and journalists. AJK as well calls on state institutions, including Kosovo Police, to respect the noble work of journalists and assist them in creating a proper environment for an accurate and professional reporting.