By Xhabir Deralla

This text is not about the attacks and threats against me but about the brave people who publicly defended me with comments and messages.

When I received a direct death threat last December, I knew exactly where it was coming from. I knew precisely who was behind the threat and how they were connected to the centers of power. CIVIL’s monitoring team uncovered even more details, which they published in a report. The team went further by reporting the case to the Ministry of Interior and filing a report with the Public Prosecutor’s Office. Back in December, one of my closest family members told me they would go to the person behind the threat and offer their life to spare mine. You can probably guess who in the family could say something like that.

To say it’s unpleasant living with a target on your back is an understatement. A target at which the “black squads” of radical nationalist propaganda, ultra-right extremists, and pro-Russian anti-Western influence operations are constantly aiming. The attacks are daily. Pure hatred and insults, often vulgar. And many lies—outright lies.

Often, these attacks include direct death threats or calls for execution by shooting, hanging, burning… And this happens every day. Interestingly, many of these attacks are well-organized. Although they may seem as if they were written by someone semi-literate, the narratives behind those messages are carefully crafted. Frequently, these attacks are written in coded language. This is the language typically used by journalists, hosts, and YouTubers, consisting of seemingly neutral expressions and terms, but with deeply negative connotations that guide the audience toward certain communities or link specific people to those communities, for which stereotypes and prejudices have been formed.

If you look at the content of those messages, you’d say they contradict each other. But it’s important to know that different messages are targeted at different “bubbles” in which people find themselves. Not everyone follows all communication channels; each person gravitates toward one or a few sources that align with their interests, beliefs, and orientation. But these are well-known facts.

What I want to highlight in this text is that—after nine months (!)—the Public Prosecutor’s Office responded to the report about the threat to my life with the following words: “It has been determined that the comment posted by the individual Aleksandar Antić was journalistic banter, without any concrete intention or goal to issue a threat, nor to intimidate anyone, especially not the author of the text, Jabir Deralla, and due to a lack of evidence regarding the exact IP address from which the comment was posted, I find that there is no ground for public prosecutorial action” (I made minor spelling corrections; the original can be viewed at this link, where the report from CIVIL’s Disinfo Monitoring Team—CDMT—is also available).

Here, I want to thank, above all, all my colleagues from CIVIL for their tireless work in defending human rights and freedoms, which makes them my protectors too. After this troubling decision by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, nine months after the report (!), public comments were made by Prof. Emilija Celakoska, Frontliner (Frontline) Jane Gjorgioski, and veteran journalist Zoran Ivanov.

“The prosecutor and the prosecution perfectly aligned themselves with the same bullet with which the threat-makers shot at Jabir,” wrote Zoran Ivanov in CIVIL Media.

“Prosecutor Anel Fidoski has universally set a standard that a death threat by bullets, like the one Jabir Deralla received, is OK,” reads the headline of Prof. Celakoska’s comment, published by CIVIL Media.

“When the bullet, sooner or later, will reach you, according to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, it’s just journalistic banter,” wrote Jane Gjorgioski in Frontline.

“Defending Human Rights and Freedom of Speech Amid North Macedonia’s Rising Authoritarianism: The Case of Xhabir Deralla” is the title of the analysis by Heather Roberson Gaston from the Virginia University, USA.

I want to thank them sincerely and from the bottom of my heart.

I also thank everyone who expressed their solidarity in messages, calls, and meetings.

I am proud and grateful to the Southeast Europe Association from Germany, which awarded me the Solidarity Award 2024 for journalists from Southeast Europe.

I am also proud and thankful for the Order of Merit awarded to me by the President of Ukraine, H.E. Volodymyr Zelensky, in 2023 for my fight against Russian war propaganda.

I thank my family and friends, who always have understanding, support, and kind words for me.

I have no words to fully express my gratitude.

If the bullet ever does reach me, I know I will leave with my head held high and proudly. No matter how ridiculous the pose of the dead body I will be forcibly made to abandon. I will take with me a smile and warmth, knowing I am not alone. The fight will continue. It is a fight for freedom, justice, and fairness, truth, human rights, and freedoms… And I have no doubt: We will win!

This is an opinion article. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author. Source: CIVIL TODAY