May 3, World Press Freedom Day!

The Albanian Helsinki Committee is engaged in contributing to the protection of the rights of media workers, respect for which is a guarantee for having a free and independent media. journalists enjoy not only the right to freedom of expression, but also the right to employment, proper working conditions, protection against censorship and self-censorship, protection against discrimination, protection against physical or verbal attacks, etc. In the case of judicial processes, they should be guaranteed effective access to justice bodies and a fair and impartial process.
Albania, according to the World Press Freedom Index published today (May 3, 2023) by Reporters without Borders, although climbing by seven slots, from 103rd (last year) to 96th (this year), again ranks last (out of six) in the Western Balkans and second among the last in Europe (of 40 countries in the European Union – Balkans). Albania’s result, according to this organization, did not climb significantly, which shows that the climb of 7 slots may be attributed partially to the decline of media freedom in other countries in the world.
With regard to the political environment, verbal attacks against journalists were a problem especially in the first part of the year. However, journalists continue to remain concerned about the negative impact of the recent centralization of communication with the government and party that holds the governing majority. In September of last year, the prosecution office disproportionately restricted media coverage of a cyberattack against Albanian institutions. The November withdrawal from the “anti-defamation package” from the parliamentary agenda was positive for media freedom. With regard to journalists’ safety, there were more attacks against journalists in 2022 than in 2021, but the it is perceived that the police is making efforts to investigate quickly attacks on journalists and it is applying disciplinary measures in cases involving law enforcement officers.
The Albanian Helsinki Committee encourages civil society actors to react in cases of the violation of journalists’ rights, while it expresses the readiness to provide free legal aid to media workers who face violations in their working environments.
This reaction is conducted in the context of the project that the Albanian Helsinki Committee in cooperation with the Kosovo Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture, the Helsinki Committee in Serbia, the Helsinki Committee in North Macedonia, and the Helsinki Committee in Bosnia-Herzegovina are implementing on “Challenging the shrinking space for civil society in the Western Balkans,” supported by Austausch e.V. and the Civic Solidarity Platform.