Kosovo: Violent Protestors Attack 6 Women Journalists Covering Demonstrations In Northern Kosovo

CFWIJ condemns attacks on journalists who were covering protests 

Location: Northern Kosovo
Date: May 29, 2023

Photo Credit: Gentiana Hasani

At least six women journalists were attacked by violent protestors in Serb-majority towns in Kosovo while covering demonstrations against the installation of new mayors. Their news vehicles were vandalized. One car was shot at. The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns these assaults on press workers doing their job and calls on EULEX, KFOR, and local police to ensure journalists can report safely.

Top Channel Vehicle Vandalized

BIRN, KALLXO, and RTV Dukagjini vehicle damaged in Leposavic

Teve1 car set on fire in Zubin Potok

Periskopi Team Attacked

Syri Car Shot At

KOHA and T7 Cars Destroyed

The car of Albanian television news outlet Top Channel was vandalized by protestors in Zvecan. Protestors removed the car’s license plate and spraypainted Serb nationalist slogans on the vehicle. Top Channel reporter Leonita Barjami, journalists from EuroNews Albania, and Chairperson of the Association of Journalists of Kosovo, Xhemajl Rexha were traveling in the vehicle. 

According to Rexha, groups of masked demonstrators hurled abuse at the team of journalists.

BIRN journalist Adelina Ahmeti and colleagues from RTV Dukagjini and KALLXO were reporting on protests against the newly-elected mayor in Leposavic when unknown individuals damaged their car. The car's tires were blown out. Its Kosovo license plate was covered and graffitied with the “4S” symbol. The symbol stands for the Serb nationalistic motto “Samo sloga Srbina spasava” (Only unity saves the Serbs). 

Protestors attacked the vehicle belonging to TV station Teve1 before setting it ablaze in Zubin Potok. A reporter for Radio Free Europe, Doruntina Baliu, was one of a team of journalists traveling in the vehicle to report on local protests.

A team of journalists working for the Periskopi outlet was attacked by two masked individuals in Zvecan. One journalist’s clothes were torn, but they escaped without injury.

A Kosovo television crew from Syri announced that their car was shot at in Zvecan on assignment. No staff members were injured.

"While the car was passing through several groups of masked Serbs, together with the cameramen Bledar Rexha and Butrint Bejra, we heard something strange, and we told each other that our car was hit. After 10 minutes, we stopped and saw that we were hit by a bullet, which passed close to one of the cameramen", said the editors of TV Syri.

Three masked persons knocked down the camera of the Gazeta Papirus media team in Zvecan.

In a video sent to AJK, one of the masked individuals can be heard demanding the team not to film.

A day later, on May 30, Cars belonging to media outlets KOHA and T7 were destroyed in the same town.  

A team of journalists traveled in the vehicles the previous day to report clashes, including Valbona Bytyqi and Saranda Ramaja of KOHA, and Marigona Brahimi. 

KOHA’s vehicle was found with bursts tires, broken windows, and Pro-Russia nationalist “Z” symbol sprayed on its sides.

According to the Association of Journalists of Kosovo, television station T7’s car was found in a similar condition.

Journalists Calling For Protection

Local journalist organization AJK has recorded 15 press violations since protests turned violent on May 29. They are calling for the NATO peacekeeping force KFOR to ensure journalists can report safely from demonstrations.  

Speaking to CFWIJ, AJK emphasized that journalists “in northern districts are in exceptionally destitute conditions, and their security isn't guaranteed by KFOR, nor by EULEX police.”

The journalist association, whose membership is 65% female, has contacted KFOR to provide journalists on the ground with a safety perimeter.

Escalating Tensions in Kosovo

The recent disorder in Kosovo was sparked by the refusal of Kosovo Serbs — who comprise approximately 5% of the country's 1.8 million inhabitants — to participate in the local elections in four northern municipalities where Serbs are the majority. This opened the way for ethnic Albanians to gain control of the councils. Local Serb parties that boycotted the election deemed the officials, who were elected with a little over three percent of voter turnout, illegitimate.  

Protests began on Friday, 26 May, when newly elected ethnic-Albanian mayors assumed their offices in Serb-majority towns in North Kosovo. 

Thousands of Serbs gathered in different towns to protest Albanian mayors’ entry into municipal offices. Kosovo’s police force provided security for the mayors as they entered their offices in the Serb-majority municipalities. The Serbian president responded by sending its army to the border with Kosovo.  

NATO peacekeeping force, KFOR, which is permanently based in Kosovo, intervened in demonstrations to ensure no further escalation.  At least thirty KFOR soldiers were injured in clashes. NATO announced they will send 700 more troops to Kosovo to help stabilize the situation.

Kosovo declared independence in February 2008. The United States and several European Union nations recognize the country. With the backing of its influential ally Russia, Serbia has refused to recognize Kosovo's independence, a stance shared by the majority of ethnic Serbs residing within Kosovo.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is alarmed by the volume of violent attacks on press workers in Kosovo. Most of the reporters covering the protests are women journalists. They are at the forefront of informing the world about dangerous clashes occurring in Kosovo. Journalists have a duty to report on demonstrations. Their lives should not be put in danger for doing their jobs. We call on security forces in Kosovo, including KFOR, EULEX, and Kosovo police, to ensure journalists can report safely. 

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.

If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.