FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
The disappointing decision taken 5 days ago by the Supreme Court, which legalized the seizure of electronic equipment and house searches, physical body searches, office searches, car searches and the search of a bar, where the journalist had left the phones in storage, has brought the strong reaction of the Union of Journalists of Albania.
Through a statement published on social networks, the Union of Journalists of Albania (UGSH) has expressed its regret and disappointment, reminding the Supreme Court that this decision has significant consequences for the indicators of freedom of reporting in the Albanian media.
UGSH, invites all journalists and organizations that, immediately after the announcement of the decision by the Supreme Court, become part of a strong reaction in a protest in defense of freedom and the guarantee of the exercise of our public and professional mission.
According to UGSH, the Supreme Court has created a dangerous precedent, as this legal practice causes censoring and self-censoring consequences.
"...the decision of the Supreme Court undermines the courage of every journalist, to speak and investigate independently about wild criminal events and realities..." - said the Union of Journalists of Albania.
"...the unclarified decision of the Supreme Court legitimizes and embodies a double standard between the case in question and earlier, in 2021, against the "Lapsi.al" portal.
This decision is a self-inflicted case for the members of this judicial body and creates full legitimizing premises for practices that seriously harm reporters and their sources in the reporting and investigative process..." - declares UGSH.
UGSH in its statement states that: "...the Union of Albanian Journalists has been informed that the Supreme Court, on February 20, 2024, (according to the legal representative of the case of journalist Elton Qyno), has legitimized the seizure of working tools and personal belongings of this journalist, by the Special Prosecutor's Office (SPAK).
This decision, still unresolved, has caused great surprise and regret among the membership of our professional organization. Through it, the principle of confidentiality of sources and freedom of self-information of the journalist on duty has been severely hit.
Upholding the decision of the Court of Appeal, declaring the seizing of the journalist's equipment to be legal, constitutes a dangerous precedent, as this legal practice causes censorious and self-censoring consequences, undermines the courage of every journalist to speak and investigate properly. independent for events and wild criminal realities.
The unresolved decision of the Supreme Court legitimizes and embodies a double standard between the case in question and earlier, in 2021, towards the "Lapsi.al" portal.
This decision is a self-inflicted case for the members of this judicial body and creates full legitimizing premises for practices that seriously harm reporters and their sources in the reporting and investigative process.
The Union of Albanian Journalists considers unjustified the fact that the case of the journalist Qyno, although it is not confirmed for the following status "under investigation", has influential consequences for the indicators of freedom of reporting in the Albanian media.
UGSH, while waiting for the clarification of the court decision, invites all organizations and journalists to become part of a strong reaction.
On the day of the publication of this decision by the Supreme Court, UGSH invites you all to a protest in defense of freedom and the guarantee of the exercise of our public and professional mission...".
In the case of "Lapsi.al" journalists, the Supreme Court, in accordance with international standards, took a unifying decision of judicial practice to protect all journalists from the abusive seizure of electronic devices in the future.
This decision was also published in the Official Gazette in the spring of 2022 and had the force of law.
After two years, in the first case that was presented for implementation, the Supreme Court itself, and three of the five judges who were the authors of the unifying decision for "Lapsi.al", withdrew all the standards they had set, in order to open road to abuse again, which in the case of journalist Elton Qyno, was so serious that it even alarmed the Human Rights Committee at the UN.
This unprecedented decision in the history of the Supreme Court, which openly overturned its own and international standards, is a self-inflicted case for the members of this judicial body and creates full legitimizing premises for practices that seriously harm reporters and their sources in the reporting process. and investigator.
Fair journalism and reporting is not a crime.
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