Call to let journalists work freely

TIRANA, Feb. 6 – The South and East Europe Media Organization (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East and Central Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), expressed her continuous concern at the intimidation of journalists. That is the second time the SEEMO makes such calls on the Albanian authorities since the Jan. 21 deadly riot where four journalists were injured.
They said that such attacks were followed by further incidents.
the SEEMO denounced the call of a parliamentary commission for itemized home and mobile phone bills for four journalists accusing them of helping organize what it calls an “attempted coup d’굡t.”
SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic said: “It is astonishing that suddenly, and without prior notice, the government decided to take such action against journalists who were only fulfilling their duty to inform the general public about a particular event. This appears to be yet another instance of the political interference that we have witnessed in many past cases in Albania.”
SEEMO urged the political powers in Albania to refrain from pressuring the country’s media representatives.