PRISTINA, 17.05.2021 – The Association of Journalists of Kosovo – AJK, considers completely unacceptable the offensive language of an official of the Directorate of Education in Prishtina, Anita Xhabiri and the threats of her husband towards the two journalists of the Gazeta Express.
On Saturday, Anita Xhabiri has offended a journalist of Gazeta Express, after she requested about the stance of the Directorate of Education, upon reporting that a minor has been sexually abused from the several students.
“Is it possible to know what day is today. And? For which extraordinary case are you calling on Saturday from the Newspaper? Are you sane? You should never call me on this number. Never! “You stupid pig”, are the words with which Xhabiri addressed the journalist according to the reports of Gazeta Express.
Following the publication of the news about the insult, it is reported that Editorial Office of the Gazeta Express on Saturday has received a threatening phone call from Xhabiri’s husband. He demanded that the news about his wife should be removed, where he threatened that if such a thing will not happen, the journalists will personally deal with him.
“You must delete the news, I am going to the Police, but if you do not remove the news, in addition to the Police, you will personally deal with me. You have problems with my family, behavior or whatever you write, and eat sh * t, you will be in trouble. When you call my wife, you will have to deal with me. I do not care for what you are calling my wife, you are calling my wife, for official information, go to hell. This news that you have published, you will deal personally with me, not officially. You are going to remove it, I am going to the Police and then coming to you and we will solve the case immediately, did you understand? ”
Following the reporting of the case to the Police, journalist of Gazeta Express was interviewed in the capacity of a victim. Meanwhile, the suspected person was arrested and after an interview upon the prosecutor’s order was released in the regular procedure.
“A Kosovo male suspect was arrested after that he, according to a Kosovo male victim has threatened over the phone the victim who is journalist. The suspect has denied that he has threatened her, but he has only asked to remove an article in relation to the suspect’s wife. Regarding the case, the state prosecutor was consulted, who recommended that after an interview the suspected person to be released and the case to be processed in the regular procedure “, it is announced in the report of Kosovo Police.
For AJK it is worrying the fact that journalists are still victims of such insults and threats from public officials. Such denigrating language from the municipal official and the threat made to journalists by her husband is completely unacceptable and violates freedom of expression and of media.
AJK invites public officials to recognize the role of journalists in a democratic society and to distance themselves from insults and threats against them. Whereas, for any injustice that they consider that is being conducted towards them, to address to the competent authorities.