Albania: Smear campaigns against independent media and civil society organizations must stop

In early October 2024, the Council of Media Ethics of Albania (KSHM) became the target of coordinated smear campaigns by two online platforms, Sot.com.al and Prapaskena.com. These incidents mark a disturbing trend of hostility toward independent media and civil society organizations, heightening concerns among watchdog groups and advocates for media freedom.

On 6 October, Prapaskena.com escalated  the attacks by targeting Blerjana Bino, a SafeJournalists researcher and executive director of SCiDEV, along with the independent think tanks SCiDEV and OBCT. The attack came in response to their publication of a shadow report on media freedom in Albania. Published on 25 July, the report focused on the third section of the Commission's 2024 Rule of Law Report, dedicated to media freedom and pluralism, to provide an updated analysis of the Albanian media landscape, including remaining and emerging challenges. Prapaskena.com slandered Bino, referring to her as "The 'Spider' of civil society funds" and falsely accusing  her of producing biased reports on attacks against journalists. The picture of Bino used to illustrate the defamatory article also endangered Bino's safety by inciting hatred against her. These defamatory attacks undermine the credibility of independent voices and organizations working to protect media freedom and uphold ethical journalism in Albania.

The initial attack, launched  by Sot.com.al, followed a ruling by KSHM’s Board of Ethics regarding a complaint filed against the Sot media outlet. In what appeared to be a retaliatory move, Sot.com.al framed KSHM’s decision as a violation of press freedom, portraying the Board's oversight as oppressive and unjust. This response not only distorts the role of KSHM in promoting ethical journalism but also threatens the integrity of the self-regulatory framework designed to uphold media standards. KSHM strongly condemned the article as slanderous, highlighting a concerning trend of media retaliation against regulatory bodies rather than engaging constructively with ethical standards in journalism.

Simultaneously, Prapaskena.com launched its attack,  shortly after KSHM issued a public statement opposing the closure of online platforms in Albania. Echoing the rhetoric of Sot.com.al, Prapaskena.com used similar inflammatory language to discredit KSHM’s stance, further escalating the campaign against independent oversight and ethical journalism in the country.

These coordinated attacks, which aim to discredit ethical journalism and undermine the work of independent organizations and researchers in protecting media freedom and journalist safety in Albania, are deeply concerning and represent a broader trend of intimidation and hostility toward independent civil society in Albania. Such tactics harm not only the individuals and organizations involved but also the core principles of press freedom, transparency, and accountability that are fundamental to a democratic society.

SafeJournalists Network and the MFRR call for an immediate cessation of these attacks and urge all stakeholders to respect the role of independent self-regulatory bodies, think tanks, and researchers in promoting media freedom and integrity, ethical standards, and transparency in the media sector. To further strengthen an environment that is enabling media freedom and the safety of journalists, we welcome and support scientific scrutiny, and evidence-based and open dialogue on issues related to media freedom and the protection of journalists.

We stand in solidarity with KSHM, SCiDEV, and Blerjana Bino, and we call on the Albanian authorities to ensure that independent media and civil society organizations can carry out their vital work without fear of retaliation or defamation.

In addition, SafeJournalists Network and MFRR strongly defend their colleague Blerjana Bino and reaffirm their unwavering support for her critical, professional, and ethical work in advancing media freedom and transparency in Albania.

SafeJournalists Network

Association of Journalists of Kosovo

Association of Journalists of Macedonia

BH Journalists Association

Croatian Journalists’ Association

Independent Journalists Association of Serbia

Trade Union of Media of Montenegro

Media Freedom Rapid Response

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)

OBC Transeuropa (OBCT)

European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)

This statement was produced as part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors, and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and candidate countries.