Dr Blerjana Bino, the SafeJournalists Researcher has raised concerns over the authorities investigation of journalists over the data leak, rather than the other authorities allegedly involved.
In a statement released today, she said:
“It’s disconcerting, the data breach involving the personal data of Tirana’s citizens, clear violation of the Constitution, the Law on Private Data Protection, and it strides far from EU’s GDPR law. Authorities in Albania should lead a transparent investigation. It is crucial to allow the media to do their investigative work, protect their sources, but at the same time media must also adhere to ethical codes of conduct. What worries me is that so far only journalists are under investigation and not the public authorities or other institutions that might be responsible for such scandalous data breach.”
Yesterday, Lapsi.al who first made public the existence of a database including the personal data of more than 910,000 citizens, were questioned by SPAK who then ordered the immediate execution of a court order to submit evidence including computers, phones, and servers. The portal say they will not hand over the database as it risks revealing their sources.
SafeJournalists also raised concerns over the assault of Ora News journalist Ronaldo Sharka by a group of some 40 supporters of Mayor of Tirana Erion Veliaj. The second such incident in a week involving Veliaj, Sharka and his crew were surrounded an literally pushed out of an electoral event. Sharka has filed charges with the police, Veliaj is yet to respond.
This raises issues over Veliajs refusal and lack of willingness to respond to questions from journalists and his continued hostility to the media.
“Journalists and media professionals of Ora News TV have made public various incidents with the Mayor of Tirana, and this is an issue of concern for media freedom, but also for local government transparency and accountability. Now that Ora News journalists have filed charges with the local Police, it is paramount for the authorities to investigate this properly”, Blerjana Bino said, SafeJournalists researcher in Albania.
The statement adds; “SafeJournalists Network, representing more than 8,200 media professionals in the Western Balkans, stands in solidarity with Albania colleagues and condemns the attack on the TV crew, but also expresses concern about the pressure exerted on journalists to disclose their sources. In the first case, the SafeJournalist Network expects that authorities in Albania should lead a transparent investigation, and in the second one, we also expect the Mayor to react to these allegations and distance himself from attacks towards journalists.”
Each attack, they said, is an attack on public interest, democracy and rights of all citizens.
