The SafeJournalists Network expresses serious concern following the incident during the 10 February protest in Tirana in which Aldo Kashri, camera operator for News24, was severely endangered while covering the event, and other journalists and media workers were exposed to tear gas, water cannons, and other crowd-dispersal measures while performing their professional duties.
According to publicly available information, while reporting live during clashes between protesters and police in Tirana on 10th February, a Molotov cocktail ignited in close proximity to him, causing his clothing to catch fire. He was assisted by colleagues nearby and avoided more serious injury, although he sustained burns to his fingers. No journalist or media worker should face such life-threatening danger while reporting in the public interest.
The protest unfolded amid violent confrontations, including the use of Molotov cocktails, pyrotechnics, and hard objects, followed by police crowd-control measures such as tear gas and water cannons. This incident follows earlier concerns raised after the 24 January protest in Tirana, when journalists and media workers were exposed to hazardous conditions while covering public demonstrations. These events demonstrate the increasingly high-risk environment in which media professionals operate during periods of political tension.
The SafeJournalists Network emphasises that the safety of journalists and media professionals during public assemblies is a shared responsibility.
Journalists and media workers, including reporters, camera operators, and photojournalists, must be able to cover events of public importance without being exposed to violence or disproportionate risk, regardless of the nature of the protest or the actors involved.
Protest organisers and participants must refrain from actions that endanger members of the media. Authorities have a positive obligation to ensure that journalists can perform their work safely, including through proportionate crowd-management measures and clear operational protocols that recognise and protect media workers. Newsrooms, for their part, must conduct proper risk assessments and provide adequate safety guidance and protective equipment when assigning staff to high-risk coverage.
We reiterate our full solidarity with Aldo Kashri and with all journalists and media professionals reporting under challenging conditions. Safeguarding their safety is essential to protecting the public’s right to information and upholding democratic standards.
Pristina – Skopje – Sarajevo – Zagreb – Belgrade – Podgorica – Tirana, February 11, 2026
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
Photo by: Canva, ilustration
