Concern for criminal charges against journalists

TIRANA, March 31 – The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organization (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), expressed its concern recently on the moves that public institutions in Albania have undertaken against journalists.
The association mentioned that in January this year Prime Minister Sali Berisha said his administration would decriminalize slander and on Feb. 17 and Mar. 1, 2012 two sets of reforms, both to the civil and penal code, were voted on in the parliament.
SEEMO welcomed the amendments to the defamation law but expressed concern at the renewed use of criminal charges against journalists.
In February, the Director for Public Relations at the Council of Ministers, Gjovalin Prenga, filed criminal charges over alleged slander in Tirana’s District Court, seeking a two-year prison sentence for Lindita Cela, a journalist for the daily newspaper Shekulli.
In October last year Cela reported on a conflict within the Agency for the Legalization, Urbanization and Integration of Informal Areas, ALUIZNI. The former head of ALUIZNI had accused his deputy of having had ties to the former Communist security apparatus. After firing the deputy, the director distributed a dossier to the local media that contained the names of several people who allegedly collaborated with the secret services. Prenga’s was on that list. Cela reported on how state officials used the dossiers for infighting and quoted parts of them.
Albania’s Union of Journalists (AUJ) supports Cela, condemning the lawsuit as an attack by state officials on journalists who publish critical stories based on documents and facts and expressed concern about the growing number of slander cases against journalists in general.
SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic said: “I applauded the Albanian authorities when they took the right steps towards decriminalization of defamation and slander. Yet, I am concerned that the very same month that these amendments were passed in the Parliament, criminal charges were filed against a journalist. I call on Albania’s authorities to keep their promises and implement the laws they have passed. I would also like to add that the increase of lawsuits lead to self-censorship and does not contribute to free media and democracy.”