The rejection of the draft law for the protection of journalists/Zhupa: Absurd reasoning, the majority has a phobia of the opposition's proposals

2023-10-18 17:54:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The rejection of the draft law for the protection of journalists/Zhupa: Absurd

Deputy of the Democratic Party, Ina Zhupa

The deputy of the Democratic Party, Ina Zhupa, has reacted after the rejection of the draft law proposed by her that guaranteed protection to journalists when they are beaten and raped because of their duties.

According to Zhupa, the reasoning for overturning this draft law was absurd, that the legislator did not guarantee this protection to everyone equally, but left it to the individual judgments of the judges.

According to her, this majority has a phobia of free journalists and of the proposals of the opposition, they only raise their hands in favor of the government.

Full post:

Mazhoranca defeated today in the laws committee, the draft law proposed by me, which guaranteed protection to journalists when they are beaten and raped because of their duty.

Despite the fact that my legal proposal relies on the recommendations of international organizations for media freedom, on the reports of the Albanian Committee of Helsinki, on the reports of Safe Journalist; Despite the fact that the Associations of journalists and the journalists asked by the Voice of America, but also in conversations with me, have hailed the initiative as positive for them, they dismissed it without any logical argument.

The only argument was that the judges themselves will know that they are journalists and will use the aggravating circumstances due to their profession. Absurd reasoning, that the legislator does not guarantee this protection to everyone equally, but leaves it to the individual judgments of the judges.

Unfortunately, in recent years, many journalists, especially those of the chronicle and investigative ones, have left Albania to seek asylum abroad due to the threats they have received. Many journalists have been beaten, raped, threatened and even attacked with weapons in their homes. Journalists should be seen as actors in public service and seekers of the truth and should be treated with special protection by the legislator.

The legal changes that I proposed improved Albania in the indicators of national and international reports, improved the working climate for journalists and their protection, discouraged those who see journalists as enemies.

This majority has a phobia of free journalists and of the proposals of the opposition, they only raise their hands in favor of the government./ CNA