North Macedonia: Journalist Tanja Milevska Gets Hate Speech And Sexist Comments Over Her Coverage On The Election Campaign
Location: North Macedonia, Skopje
Date: July 14, 2020
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is alarmed about yet another gender-based hate speech targeted towards a woman journalist in the Balkans region.
Brussels based journalist Tanja Milevska took to twitter yesterday exposing the threats and harassment she has faced online following her coverage of the election campaign in North Macedonia.
The attacks stemmed from Tanja’s coverage of the statements made by Zoltán Kovács, international spokesperson for the Hungarian Government.
"If the lights go out in your entrance hall, I advise you to get on your knees and pray". I've been receiving threats like this all day long because I had the nerve to ask if Orban said North Macedonia in his support message to @VMRO_DPMNE. This is where we're at. pic.twitter.com/XHHIP7B5pc
— Tanja M (@MilevskaTanja) July 11, 2020
A number of the accounts threatened Tanja with physical and sexual violence including one message that stated: "My advice, if the light in your entrance hall goes out, just kneel and pray."
It is utterly frustrating that it is not uncommon for a journalist to be attacked and humiliated on social media, often through fake profiles. This kind of intimidation must not be tolerated, neither by the public, nor by political parties, and especially not by the institutions that have an obligation to end impunity for gender-based hate speech against journalists.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism stands in solidarity with Tanja Milevska and all journalists who are targets of hate speech. We call upon the authorities to take necessary measures to ensure the safety of journalists.
The CFWIJ strongly condemns the police brutality against journalists. We demand the immediate return of the press cards seized from the security forces. Policies to intimidate journalists should be abandoned, and journalism should be practiced under the criteria of freedom of the press.
If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.