On 12 March 2026, personal details of journalist Ardiana Thaçi‑Mehmeti from the TV show Kiks Kosova, including her private phone number, were illegally shared in a ‘Discord’ group with over 70,000 members. The journalist received hundreds of harassing messages overnight from members of the group, including sexual and denigrating content.
The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins its affiliate in Kosovo, the Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AGK), in strongly condemning the online harassment against journalist Ardiana Thaçi‑Mehmeti and calling on the Kosovo Police and the Prosecutor’s Office for a swift investigation into the attack.
Two weeks prior to her online harassment, the journalist had reported on the opening of a new Discord group, under which images and personal data of thousands of women in Kosovo were disclosed.
In May 2024, Thaçi‑Mehmeti had also previously been the target of a smear campaign following her reporting on a similar Telegram group, known under the name ‘AlbKings’. As denounced by EFJ’s affiliate AGK, this smear campaign is a clear retaliation for the journalist’s work.
“Our full support for Ardiana Thaçi‑Mehmeti. The sexual harassment of this journalist is yet another worrying example of how misogynistic violence is being increasingly weaponised against women journalists, with the aim of discrediting them professionally and ultimately silencing their reporting in the public interest. We also strongly condemn the unlawful disclosure of personal data, which not only violates journalists’ privacy rights but also places their safety at serious risk. “The perpetrators must be brought to justice urgently,” declared Ricardo Gutiérrez, EFJ General Secretary.
Source: EFJ
