Kosovo journalists Fidan Jupolli and Lirim Mehmetaj have faced public vilification, verbal attacks and alleged threats during October, raising renewed concerns about the safety of media workers and the environment in which journalists operate.
Fidan Jupolli, host of the television program DPT te Fidani, faced days of criticism and attacks from individuals associated with the governing camp after making the statement, “Either you are with the KLA or with Milošević.”
Jupolli made the remark during his program amid protests across Kosovo against the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague, following the sentencing of former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders to a combined 81 years in prison.
Opposition lawmakers publicly defended the experienced journalist, who has worked for several media outlets in Kosovo. His program has also hosted members of the current government, including ministers and lawmakers.
The Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AGK) condemned the insults, labeling and threats directed at Jupolli. The association also expressed support for him in pursuing legal action, warning that the attacks could threaten both his physical safety and that of his family.
Meanwhile, tensions escalated on Monday, October 12, when former Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) lawmaker Gani Geci was seen in the courtyard of Dukagjini television station, where he reportedly said he was waiting for journalist Lirim Mehmetaj.
Mehmetaj had previously reported Geci to the police, alleging that he had been threatened over comments concerning Gani Geci’s relative, Fatos Geci, a member of parliament from the Vetëvendosje Movement (LVV).
Mehmetaj had described Fatos Geci as “illiterate” after the lawmaker accused former KLA leaders of carrying out more than 244 killings.
Police subsequently detained Gani Geci for 48 hours on suspicion of threatening Mehmetaj, a journalist with VOX Kosova. Mehmetaj later reacted on social media with the words, “The truth, always.”
Media law expert Flutra Kusari called on the government to urgently amend legislation and establish mechanisms to protect journalists, warning that the conditions in which media professionals work in Kosovo have become dangerous.
“Wake up, government! Lirim Mehmetaj is facing enormous pressure. Fidan Jupolli is facing enormous pressure. What more needs to happen for the Government of Kosovo to start changing the laws and creating mechanisms to protect journalists?” Kusari wrote on Facebook.
She said she would continue raising concerns about journalists’ safety, drawing on her professional experience in countries where journalists have been killed.
“I am saying it again, and I will continue repeating it. I work in countries where journalists have been killed. The atmosphere in which journalists work in Kosovo bears significant similarities to those places. I am not saying journalists will be killed in Kosovo, but the situation is dangerous, and the government must wake up and take this issue seriously,” she said.
The concerns come amid broader warnings about the state of media freedom in Kosovo. A report published on July 20 by partner organizations of the Council of Europe’s Platform for the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists described a clear deterioration in media freedom, citing political interference, verbal attacks against journalists and weakening media independence.
The Association of Journalists of Kosovo recorded 69 cases involving journalists and media outlets in 2025, including public denigration, attempts to discredit media workers and online attacks. The report noted that a significant proportion of the incidents were linked to statements or actions by public officials and politicians.
Kosovo ranked 84th out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders’ 2026 World Press Freedom Index, falling 28 places compared with its position in 2023.
The latest incidents have intensified calls for stronger legal protections, effective institutional responses and greater accountability for threats and attacks against journalists.
