Threats against the lives and physical safety of journalists, Vehbi Kajtazi, Pristina, 08.10.2024

AJK •︎ 09/10/2024

Threats against the lives and physical safety of journalists, Vehbi Kajtazi, Pristina, 08.10.2024

Translations: Pristina 

  • Case info

  • Personal info

  • Regional center
    Pristina
  • Who was attacked?
    Journalist
  • Gender
    Male
  • Victim(s) name
    Vehbi Kajtazi

  • Media outlet

  • Name of the media outlet
    Paparaci
  • Type of media platform
    Online Media
  • Source of information about the incident
    Facebook

  • Incident Data

  • Date of incident
    08.10.2024
  • City
    Pristina
  • Perpetrator(s)
    Known (convicted)
  • Attacked by
    (ordinary) citizens
  • Means of incidents and attacks
    Chat applications
  • Type of incident
    life_threat

  • Action by the authorities

  • Police action
    The 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 action
    The 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 action
    The 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 case
    Perpetrator is convicted
  • Type of violation
    Security 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.

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