Leading international and regional press freedom organizations have issued an urgent appeal to Albanian authorities to immediately enforce a court ruling that protects the journalistic work of Focus Media Group, which includes News24, BalkanWeb, Panorama, Gazeta Shqiptare, and other affiliated outlets.

The appeal, addressed to the Ministries of Interior, Economy, Culture and Innovation, Justice, the State Police, the Bailiff Service, the Audiovisual Media Authority (AMA), and the Ombudsman, comes after the Tirana First Instance Court of General Jurisdiction partially upheld the company’s request for interim measures on August 12, 2025. The ruling ordered the restoration of journalists’ access to their professional equipment and work materials following an eviction dispute.

We are publishing the letter in full:

Dear Ministers and officials,

We, the undersigned press freedom organisations and regional journalist associations express in this open letter our deep concern over the non-execution of court decisions and the ongoing obstruction of journalistic activity at the Tirana premises of Focus Media Group, which includes News24, BalkanWeb, Panorama, Gazeta Shqiptare, and other affiliated outlets.

We are alarmed that despite the clear ruling of the Tirana First Instance Court of General Jurisdiction on 12 August 2025 – which partially upheld the request of Focus Media Group and Panorama Group for urgent interim measures to restore access to journalistic equipment and work materials – these orders remain unimplemented. Journalists continue to face restricted access to the building to retrieve their work materials, and military police and the state-owned entity KAYO are have vreported to be actively blocking execution of the court’s order.

The court rightly found that the restrictions imposed on journalists’ work during the eviction enforcement – including blocked access to the premises, the cutting of electricity, and the removal of newsroom equipment – were disproportionate. It also ruled that such disputes should be resolved in a way that minimises interference with freedom of expression and journalists’ rights, in line with international the state’s obligation to safeguard freedom of expression. While the court did not rule on the underlying property dispute – which remains under the jurisdiction of the administrative courts – we welcome its focus on the impact of the intervention on journalists’ ability to work, as well as its finding that the manner in which the eviction was handled was contrary to the Albanian Constitution and Article 10 of the European Court of Human Rights.

However, alarmingly the court’s binding order to inventory and safeguard or return all professional materials within 48 hours remains unimplemented. This ongoing and clear defiance of a judicial decision undermines the rule of law and sets a dangerous precedent for both media freedom and the rule of law in Albania.

We therefore urgently call on the relevant state authorities to:

• Immediately and fully implement the 12 August decision of the Tirana First Instance Court of General Jurisdiction, ensuring unimpeded access for journalists to their materials and equipment;
• Cease all actions that infringe on journalistic freedom, including demands for journalists to hand over their electronic devices in order to access the building to retrieve belongings, which risks undermining source confidentiality;
• Ensure accountability for any state or third-party actors which are actively obstructing  lawful enforcement of the court’s decision;
• Uphold Albania’s international commitments to protect freedom of expression and the rights of journalists, as part of its EU accession requirements;
• Engage transparently with media companies and representatives involved to avoid further escalation and ensure compliance with legal obligations.

We note that while News24 has resumed broadcasting from temporary premises (restaurant) during the interim period, this cannot substitute the full restoration of normal journalistic operations with all of the media outlet’s professional equipment and materials.

Regardless of the wider property dispute, the use of state force to continue to block media operations without judicial mandate or compliance with due process is incompatible with Albania’s democratic commitments and EU integration ambitions and sends a worrying message.

We further express our solidarity with the Chairman of the Association of Journalists of Albania, Isa Myzyraj, and its member, Osman Stafa, as well as with other press freedom defenders and watchdog organisations who have been targeted because of their action in support of the newsrooms of Focus Media Group and Panorama Group.

Our organisations, which previously issued a joint statement on this issue, remain ready to support constructive dialogue on the matter and will continue to support the free exercise of journalism in Albania. We urge swift and responsible action by your respective authorities to resolve this situation in line with domestic and international standards.

We will continue to monitor the situation closely and look forward to your individual responses.

Signed:

International Press Institute (IPI)

European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)

Free Press Unlimited (FPU)

Reporters Without Borders (RSF)

Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT)

European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)

SafeJournalists Network

Association of BH journalists

Association of Journalists of Kosovo

Association of Macedonian Journalists

Croatian Journalists’ Association

Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia

Trade Union of Media of Montenegro

The source: IJAS

Foto by: Canva