Actual attack towards journalists, 27.08.2026, Tirana

Translations: Tirana 

On 27 July 2026, Ora News journalist Edison Vatnikaj was physically assaulted by a State Police officer while reporting on a civic protest outside the Albanian Parliament in Tirana.

Vatnikaj was filming police officers as they detained and escorted a protester when one officer forcefully pushed him, interrupting his reporting and putting him at risk of falling.

Video footage from the scene shows Vatnikaj immediately identifying himself as a journalist. After he stated that he was a journalist, he still faced obstructions and could hardly continue to film.

Vatnikaj was carrying out a clearly journalistic activity and was documenting a police operation taking place in a public space during an event of significant public interest.

There is no information at the time of registration that he sustained injuries or that his professional equipment was damaged.

At the time of registration, no substantive public response from the State Police or information about an investigation, disciplinary proceedings or other accountability measures had been identified.

The incident occurred during a heavily policed protest. Hundreds of police officers, including rapid-intervention units, had established several cordons around Parliament and restricted access to the surrounding area. Several protesters were forcibly detained, with video footage and media reporting showing some being dragged, forced to the ground or carried away by officers.

Video footage reviewed from the protest and media reports also indicate that other journalists and television crews faced obstruction or interference while attempting to document police actions.

After a stone was thrown towards police officers, police used pepper spray. The spray affected several protesters and photojournalist Malton Dibra, who was working at the scene. Protesters also threw eggs towards police officers, while some activists called for calm.