News24 journalist Osman Stafa says State Police officers intimidated and threatened him while he was filming their intervention involving a woman near the Pyramid in Tirana.
According to Stafa, he was recording an officer issuing a fine when the officer approached and asked why he was filming. The journalist says he replied that, as a journalist, he could document police actions in a public space. The officer, he says, warned that he would take him to the police station, claiming that filming a police officer was not allowed.
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Stafa says he turned his phone back on to record what was happening and ask for an explanation for the threats. At that moment, he says, several people in civilian clothes surrounded him. Although they called him by name and recognized him as Osman, they also asked to see his journalist ID.
According to his account, some of them grabbed his arms, put his hands behind his back and took his phone, stopping the recording. He claims that four or five people tried to force him to the ground. Stafa says he was held for more than 10 minutes as they repeatedly told him they would take him to the police station and that he might spend the night in a cell.
The journalist says those present also prevented other members of the public from filming. According to him, they returned his phone only after the officers’ superiors were notified and the officers spoke with them. They then left.
Stafa describes the incident as a direct threat and act of intimidation. He objects to having his filming stopped, his phone taken and his movement restricted, even though, he says, the officers had identified him as a journalist.
Journalist Osman Stafa’s full account:
I was filming near the Pyramid as a woman was being fined. A police officer came up to me and asked why I was making a video. I told him that, as a journalist, I could film wherever I wanted. He replied that I was not allowed to film a police officer and that he would take me to the police station.
I considered this behavior intimidation and a threat by the police officers: one was in uniform, while the others were in civilian clothes. After the threats over my filming, I turned on my phone and asked why they wanted to take me to the station and why they were threatening me.
Then the plainclothes officers surrounded me. They called me Osman, but although they had identified me, they asked to see my journalist badge. They told me they would take me to the station, grabbed my arms and pulled my hands behind my back to detain me. They took my phone, so the recording stopped.
With my arms behind my back, I also faced their attempt to force me to the ground. There were 10–12 people there in total, plainclothes officers and uniformed police. They called for a car to take me to the station and held me for more than 10 minutes, telling me I would spend the night there.
They did not allow anyone else to film and did not return my phone. Only after their superiors were notified and informed of what had happened did the officers leave and give me back the device.
To me, this was blatant intimidation and a threat while I was documenting police actions toward members of the public. Even though they recognized me and called me by name, the officers continued what I believe were unlawful actions: they prevented me from filming, took my phone and did not let me move for more than 10 minutes.
Throughout that time, they repeatedly threatened to arrest me, take me to the police station and make me spend the night in jail. After speaking with their superiors, they left and returned my phone.
