Violence Directed At Journalists Suspends Aid To Mat Court

TIRANA, June 2 – The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced that it was suspending the aid for the renovation of the Mat court following the behavior of a judge there with a journalist.
In April, the USAID signed an agreement with the District Court of Mat to improve the Court’s performance and accountability, as part of a three-year Rule of Law Project.
In light of recent allegations against a judge serving in the Mat District, USAID has decided to suspend its assistance to the Court until the High Council of Justice completes its pending investigation of the court and the court is cleared of any wrongdoing, said a statement.
Ksenofon Ilia, an investigative journalist reporting for Fiks Fare, a TV programme reporting on, mainly, corruption, sought to interview a judge in the District Court of Burrel on May 20 buhent he was ejected and threatened by the judge’s brother, who was carrying a gun.
Ilia insisted on asking questions and grabbed onto their car while the car sped from the area, causing the reporter to fall. Next, according to reports, both men left their vehicle and physically attacked the reporter.
The High Council of Justice condemned this act and, subsequently, announced that legal proceedings will be initiated against the judge.
The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organization (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), also expressed its concern about these actions in Albania.
In May, two journalists were harassed in Albania, it said in a statement. On 16 May, Perparim Halili, vice editor-in-chief of the newspaper Sot, was threatened by a supporter of the Democratic Party of Albania (DP) at their Tirana headquarters. A group of DP supporters joined the harassment and forced Halili, at the headquarters for work, from the DP premises.
A few days later, on 20 May, Ksenofon Ilia, an investigative journalist, sought to interview a judge, and was threatened by the judge’s brother, who was carrying a gun. Ilia continued asking questions, prompting both men to exit their vehicle and brutally attack him. A severely-injured Ilia was later found and given medical assistance. The High Council of Justice subsequently announced that legal proceedings would be initiated against the judge.