The Kosovo Journalists’ Association (AGK) has raised concerns over what it described as „obstructive actions“ by the Chief of Staff of the Mayor of North Mitrovica, Visar Syla, towards female journalists from Pristina during their coverage of the recent arrest of Aleksandar Arsenijević in the northern part of the city. According to AGK, Syla’s attempt to prevent the journalists from filming the event, violates their right to free reporting.
The incident occurred as journalists from Kallxo and Telegrafi, Florinda Kelmendi and Blenera Mehmeti, reported on the arrest of Arsenijević, leader of the Serbian Democracy movement, during a confrontation on the Mitrovica promenade. Both of journalists accused Syla of trying to stop them from recording, with Kelmendi stating that he physically placed his hand over her camera and told her to stop filming.
“While I was filming the arrest of Aleksandar Arsenijević, the Chief of Staff of the Mayor of North Mitrovica, Visar Syla, put his hand on my phone’s camera and said, ‘Do not film.’ I told him that this is my job.
He did the same thing to another journalist from Telegrafi.com,” Kelmendi explained.
Mehmeti also confirmed that despite asserting her professional duties, Syla insisted she stop recording.
„We were there to film, and I told him it was my duty, but he still insisted that I stop,“ she recounted, as cited by AGK.
AGK: A Direct Violation of Journalists’ Rights
In response, AGK condemned Syla’s actions, asserting that they not only disrupted the work of the reporters but also directly infringed on their rights to freely cover public events.
„Journalists have the right to carry out their duties without interference. Any attempt to obstruct that right is unacceptable, worsens the journalistic environment, and impedes fair and objective reporting,“ AGK stated.
The association also called on Kosovan officials to refrain from actions that hinder journalists, emphasizing the worsening state of media freedom in Kosovo. According to AGK, credible international organizations, such as Reporters Without Borders, have highlighted this decline, with Kosovo dropping 19 places in recent global rankings of press freedom.
What Happened in Mitrovica yesterday?
The journalists were covering an altercation on the Mitrovica promenade that resulted in the arrest of four individuals, including Arsenijević. The incident reportedly began when Arsenijević blew a whistle outside the newly opened Missini restaurant, where the Mayor of North Mitrovica, Erden Atiq, was present.
The situation escalated when Arsenijević was allegedly attacked by at least two Albanian guests of the restaurant, who were also later arrested. A fourth individual, a Serbian man, was taken into custody after reportedly making comments from the vicinity of the altercation. All four individuals have since been released.
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