Albania: Pro-Government Media Target Ola Xama with Vicious Smear Campaign
Xama has been targeted with a relentless campaign of defamation and intimidation spanning a period of eight months.
Location: Albania, TiranaDate: March 7, 2024
Women Press Freedom unequivocally supports investigative journalist Ola Xama, affiliated with the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN), in the face of a disturbing escalation in attacks from news platforms Prapaskena.com and DITA. These government-affiliated outlets unleashed a wave of violence through personal assaults, attacks on her family, 'slut-shaming', and doxxing the reporter. The relentless attacks and defamatory articles targeting Xama must be promptly removed, and the media outlets responsible for perpetuating this malicious smear campaign must be held accountable for their reprehensible actions. We stand with Xama in demanding justice, integrity, and respect for press freedom in the wake of this disturbing incident.
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Following BIRN's investigative report in July 2023 on a controversial waste management project in Tirana involving Mayor Veliaj, Women Press Freedom documented how investigative journalist Ola Xama was targeted with personal attacks and derogatory labels like 'contracted killer.'
Subsequent articles, including from Prapaskena, intensified the onslaught by insinuating nefarious motives in Xama's legal actions against the portals. The exposure of sensitive information, including her address, further endangered Xama and her family.
Due to the persistent campaign of harassment and efforts to undermine her professional credibility, Xama has taken legal action to hold the media outlets accountable for the mistreatment she has endured.
In Albania, journalists are increasingly ensnared in political crosshairs. This situation worsened significantly in 2021 amid attempts to dominate the narrative during pivotal events like parliamentary elections and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The intertwining of politics with media oversight is evident in public media appointments made by politicians, which directly impact journalistic freedom and editorial independence. Government criticism often escalates into outright political attacks against journalists daring to voice dissent, manifesting in barriers to accessing state-held information and constraining their ability to report freely.
Particularly alarming is the trend of denigrating journalists as "contracted killers," a label that not only endangers them by inciting online and physical harassment but also serves to intimidate and silence them and their colleagues.
Women Press Freedom has maintained communication with Xama and remains committed to monitoring the progression of the case. We express deep concern over the alarming trend of media outlets engaging in smear campaigns, emphasizing the threat posed to Xama's personal safety and professional integrity. These attacks not only undermine the fundamental principles of journalism but also perpetuate a culture of intimidation that stifles women's voices in the media landscape. We call for an immediate cessation of baseless attacks against Xama and a collective commitment to upholding journalistic ethics and integrity. Protecting journalists like Xama from harassment and discrimination is essential in safeguarding press freedom and promoting a diverse and inclusive media environment. The rights of journalists must be defended, and authorities must ensure that they can report fearlessly without facing undue backlash or threats to their safety.
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The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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