Muslim Community files charges against journalist

TIRANA, June 1 – The Albanian Muslim Community filed charges of inciting terrorism and hatred for a journalist who had written two articles at a local newspaper calling for the faith to be banned in Albania.
Kastriot Myftaraj published two articles at Sot newspaper claiming that Albanians’ challenge is to get rid of Islam and that the Muslim religion spoiled the Albanian national coherence. He also wrote about certain extreme radical Muslim grouping that may try to take down the governing through their violence.
The Muslim Community, the main institution in charge of the Muslim religion in the country, asked prosecutor’s office to start penal charges against Myftaraj for inciting hatred among religious communities and spreading fake information through his articles published at the newspaper May 27 and 28.
About two-thirds of Albania’s population of 3.2 million are Muslims, although Albania is largely a secular country.
The statement said that Myftaraj put in danger the public peace and incited hatred against Muslim population. He had even asked for outlawing the Muslim religion and also closing down all its objects operating in the country.
“Islam has declared war to the Albanian nation aiming at keeping it apart from the West,” Myftaraj was quoted at the community’s statement.