The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS) expresses serious concern over yesterday’s incident in Goraždevac, where members of the Kosovo Police verbally attacked and requested identification from journalist Damjan Portić while he was reporting from the scene.
Namely, while workers engaged by the municipality of Peć were repainting the wall of a local business on the main street of Goraždevac — a wall that previously featured graffiti — Portić, a journalist with Radio Goraždevac, arrived to photograph the scene and inform the public. According to a report published on the website of Radio Goraždevac, during the course of his reporting, police officers approached him, demanded his ID, and addressed him harshly with the words: “Get out of here,” “Go away,” and “Leave,” claiming that “it is illegal to take photos,” despite the fact that the entire event was taking place in a public space.
Such conduct constitutes a direct violation of the right to freedom of expression and information, as well as an act of interference with a journalist’s professional duty, which is prohibited under international standards.
We remind that UN General Assembly Resolution 68/163 explicitly calls on states to prevent intimidation and harassment of journalists, including abuse of power by state authorities. UNESCO, in its Declaration on the Safety of Journalists, also emphasizes the state’s responsibility to ensure a safe and enabling environment for journalistic work — including, among other measures, raising awareness among public officials, particularly law enforcement.
Furthermore, according to the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, journalists have the right to report from public places, and ID checks and aggressive conduct by the police without legal justification may constitute a violation of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects freedom of expression.
IJAS calls on Kosovo institutions to take measures to prevent such incidents in the future and to guarantee safe and free working conditions for all journalists, in line with international obligations.
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS)
Belgrade, 25 June 2025
