On 14 August, the Police Director General verbally attacked journalists during a press conference over critical reporting of an assault in Pogradec that led to a citizen’s death. Media reports had highlighted family’s concerns about delays in emergency services and police response, accusing the investigation of being incomplete. The Police Director General dismissed these concerns as “fabrications” and announced that the State Police would pursue legal action against journalists for “deliberate disinformation.” The Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama supported this stance, calling for measures against misinformation. The SafeJournalists Network condemned the threats, arguing that criminalizing journalistic reporting undermines free speech and media freedom. Read more here.
Source: Mapping Media Freedom