Kosovo: Investigative journalist brutally assaulted

Kosovo Investigative journalist Visar Duriqi was left with a broken nose and teeth following an assault by three masked men on 25 February. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ/EFJ) joined their affiliate in Kosovo, the Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK), in condemning the brutal attack.

Credit: Facebook

Visar Duriqi, a journalist at online news portal Insajderi, was on his way home after attending a live TV debate, shortly after midnight, when three unknown people wearing masks assaulted him in front of his apartment. Duriqi suffered severe injuries and was taken to hospital. The police have launched an investigation into the case.

Duriqi covers topics related to religious extremism, corruption and radical groups in Kosovo. He has authored several pieces exposing crime and corruption for the investigative programme InDoks. Since 2014, he has received numerous death threats.

AJK President of the Board, Gentiana Begolli Pustina, described the physical attack on Duriqi as one of the most serious cases in Kosovo.

“It is unacceptable and we find the increase of such attacks disturbing. We consider that this attack is not only causing unrest in our community and freedom of expression, but it is also disrupting the environment for exercising journalism in a democratic society. We encourage our colleagues not to let these cowardly acts silence them”, she said.

The IFJ and EFJ express their support to Visar Duriqi and urge the Kosovo authorities to resolve this case as soon as possible. "We expect a strong signal from the authorities that such an attack can't go unpunished," they said.

 

For more information, please contact IFJ on +32 2 235 22 16

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