North Macedonia: Shop Owner Assaults TV Alsat Journalists Filming in Public Place

The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns this aggressive and unprovoked assault on TV crew simply doing their job

Location: North Macedonia, Skopje
Date: August 21, 2023

In a shocking incident in Skopje’s Old Bazaar, the owner of a barber shop assaults, insults, and threatens TV Alsat journalists Era Gjakova, Sara Hoxha and their cameraman. The journalists were filming in a public space when they came under attack. The Coalition For Women In Journalism vehemently condemns this violent incident and urges the Ministry of Internal Affairs to prosecute the man responsible.

On August 21, TV Alsat’s Era Gjakova and Sara Hoxha were filming a promo insert for a TV show in a public area in Skopje, when they were assaulted.

“We were doing our job,” recounted Gjakova. “We were recording in a public place in the Old Bazaar of Skopje without infringing on anyone's privacy, and without warning, one of the shop owners appeared and started threatening us, especially the cameraman." 

According to witnesses, the owner of the barbershop emerged from his store wielding a pair of scissors and launched a verbal assault, threatening the lives of the journalists and cameraman. The altercation quickly turned physical. 

“Despite the fact that we tried to leave,” said Gjakova, “the person returned from the store and came out and started physically attacking the cameraman. The cameraman immediately fell to the ground and has injuries in different parts of the body"

The recording equipment used by the TV crew was also damaged during the attack.

Following the assault, police arrived at the scene, but the assailant had swiftly closed his shop before leaving the area. Gjakova and her colleague Sarah Hoxha reported the incident to the police and provided their statements.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs swiftly responded, announcing that the attacker, identified as a 53-year-old person with the initials SE from Skopje, was detained by police.

In response, the Association of Journalists called for an urgent investigation into the attack and stressed that threats to life are criminal offenses. The Media Ethics Council also emphasized the need for sanctions against the assailant, highlighting that this is the only way to uphold the fundamental societal value of freedom of expression.

Recent changes to North Macedonia’s Penal Code, approved earlier this year, specifically address attacks on journalists and media workers. Perpetrators now face prison sentences for such offenses. Threats against media workers, lawyers, and health workers can result in fines or imprisonment of up to six months. If the threats cause fear or insecurity, the sentence can be extended to up to one year in prison. Violence against these people of these professions can lead to prison terms ranging from three months to three years.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns this brutal attack on Era Gjakova, Sara Hoxha and the TV Alsat cameraman. The assault was shocking, unprovoked, and dangerous, journalists must be able to film in public places without fearing violence. 

However, we commend the police for responding quickly and detaining the person responsible for the assault. We now urge the Ministry of Internal Affairs to fully prosecute the assailant, attacks against journalists must not go unpunished.

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.