Albania has progressed as regards the freedom of speech, free
information and media freedom in general, but on the other hand, there
have been deteriorations with slander and offense.
The most frequent cases are when politicians and officials offend each other with accusations that are not proved in justice institutions.
Media representatives and experts, together with Parliament Members, discussed about the current legal situation of slander, after the Parliamentary amends for the Criminal and Civil Code in 2012.
The Minister of Innovation, Milena Harito, underlined a necessary balance between the media freedom in general.
“I think that exactly because we come from a society where the freedom of expression was completely denied, we are on what can be compared to the movement of a pendulum, which goes from one extreme to another. The freedom of expression has turned in what can be called an inflation of expression. Everyone can say what he wants, but maybe without being responsible for what he says”, declared the Minister of Innovation, Milena Harito.
Gavin Miller, a legal expert for media and slander, brought the international standards and the legislation for the implementation of Section 10 of the European Convention for the Human Rights. The Head of the Council of Europe Office in Tirana, Marko Leidekker, underlined the discussion of these matters as very important.
Marko Leidekker, head of the Council of Europe Office in Tirana: I think that it is always important to discuss about these issues. What’s more important now, is a new law on information, in which the Civil and Criminal Code predictions have changed. It is important to implement them in the right way, which includes their accordance with the standards established by the European Court for Human Rights.
Gavin Miller, legal expert for the media and slander: The main thing is what the Court has said, that freedom comes with responsibility. The court protects the media, and it also underlined the media and journalism obligations.
The Council of Europe Office in Tirana organized a meeting with the topic “Slander in modern law, best standards and practices”, for the project “Promoting the freedom of expression and information, and the media freedom in Southeastern Europe”.
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