Unfortunately, research journalism is one of the areas where women in Kosovo are being heavily prejudiced. Job offers, bribes and gifts are some of the challenges they face if they publish a research article.
Investigative journalists in Kosovo are increasingly being threatened and physically attacked for the research articles they write. Since January 1 this year, the total number of reports of journalists being assaulted has been sixteen (16), and among these attacks four cases have been reported by journalists themselves.
Working as an investigative journalist in Kosovo has become a real challenge, according to Koha Ditore journalist Saranda Ramaj, who has been working as investigative journalist for the past five years with the focus on pharmaceutics and public tenders.
Ramaj tells that to stop a research piece of writing, people related to the investigative piece, threatened, offered jobs, bribes and gifts. “As a sector on which little has been reported, it has been real challenging to address topics that in one form or another disturbs the comfort of acting unlawfully,” explains Ramaj.
“One of the reasons for this is their financial impact, but also the connections with politicians. I remember that in the beginning their behavior was correct. Most of them have offered me jobs, there were those who offered gifts and bribes to stop the research, but of course no piece of writing has ever been stopped,” says Ramaj.
From the Asociacion of Journalists of Kosovo (AGK), say that this category of journalists are most at risk while performing their work. AGK says they face mostly physical assaults and life threats.
Pressures, threats and attacks on journalists have become more frequent in recent years. Only this year, from January to December 2, sixteen journalists reported on the attacks they had, among them four women journalists who reported their cases themselves.
AGK says: “Journalists do not hesitate to report cases when they are threatened or attacked.”
While investigative journalist Leonida Molliqaj from the Kosovo Center for Investigative Jouornalism ‘Preportr’, which operates within the Çohu organization, says that it is not just the physical assaults that hinder the work of journalists.
“On the other hand, there are not just physical attacks that are hindering journalism from developing freely. Low salaries, long hours of work and lack of employment contracts are making journalists forced to remain silent and not to engage in specific research, “says Molliqaj.
She estimates that the security of journalists in Kosovo it is not yet at a satisfactory level.
“Cases of attacks and threats that have occurred in recent years against journalists in our country, show that we still face the lack of freedom of expression,” she says.
The prejudice towards women who deal with investigative journalism
Women face more difficulties than men in practicing their profession, explains Molliqaj, who believes that women should grab every opportinity to write in Kosovo. “Being part of the media, girls and women can raise their voice more freely for the prejudices and discrimination they face,” says Molliqaj.
Ramaj also says that knowing that the profession of journalism is a job that does not have a schedule from 08:00 to 16:00, unfortunately, it is one of the areas where women are very prejudiced.
“This certainly relates to the identification of Kosovo as a half-patriarchal society, and the treatment of women in relation to what someone considers” family obligations of women “. Despite the many prejudices when a young girl practices the profession of investigative journalist, I believe that Kosovo has many women journalists who prove the opposite, “says Ramaj.
While Leonida tells us that there has been no case of threat or attack regarding the research articles she has worked on, Saranda says that there have been cases when public officials have gone to her parent regarding the articles she has published in the newspaper. “This is one of the forms that frustrated me the most while working as a journalist,” she says.
While AGK says the media has reached a stage where more work needs to be done to increase public confidence. “Media and society in general should work to educate the public to distinguish false news and misinformation, in order to be able to tell which mediums are professional and respect the code of ethics,” say AGK.
The lack of capacity of the justice system delays the process of protecting journalists
According to journalist Molliqaj, justice institutions have shown no will and capacity to enforce media laws and legislation to protect journalists. “This is extremely damaging because, as a result, journalists are reluctant to report cases of attacks in the absence of trust in law enforcement,” she said.
While the Asociacion of Journalists of Kosovo says that they have increased co-operation with security and justice institutions in terms of protecting journalists.
“The State Prosecution, the Basic Court of Pristina and the Kosovo Police have set up and improved their mechanisms to protect journalists and other media professionals. But there is still work to be done and the association will insist on improving the work of institutions so that they be more efficient and vocal”, AGK said.
Author: Drenusha Canolli
This article is a production of the Association of Journalists of Kosovo under the project “Western Balkan’s Regional Platform for Advocating Media Freedom and Journalists Safety”, funded by the European Union. The content of this publication can in no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.