Mapping Media Freedom, the website of the European Center for Press & Media Freedom, a partner organization of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), has recognized the continued threats and hate speech that have targeted CIVIL and the journalists working with the organization’s media platform.
“On 27 July, journalists and activists at Human Rights NGO “Civil”, Xhabir Deralla and Petrit Saracini, were targeted by insults and threats on social media, allegedly because of their media coverage of the parliamentary elections in North Macedonia.
A person with a Facebook profile named “Marjan Kamilovski” posted a photo with a firearm and the following statement: “I am asking you not to threaten Apasiev and his family… The man is not alone and the public is with him… Don’t make us come out”. Dimitar Apasiev is the leader of the political party The Left. In June 2020, CIVIL’s office was the target of vandalism with threatening and insulting messages. The Association of Journalists (ZNM) publicly condemned the threats.” – reported Mapping Media Freedom on September 4, 2020.
