The Prosecutors' Association of the Republic of Albania has expressed its deep concern about the use of hate speech and contempt towards magistrates in the public and media space.
According to the association, the use of media and public platforms to attack magistrates with insults, insinuations and slander, up to forms of public persecution, violates professional integrity and damages citizens' trust in the justice system. The association emphasizes that these practices affect the public interest and the foundations of the rule of law.
However, the Prosecutors' Association emphasizes that it fully supports freedom of expression and the role of the media in highlighting issues and criticizing the justice system. It emphasizes that any debate should be based on facts and arguments, not on personal attacks on magistrates.
The association calls on public and media actors to distance themselves from hate speech and any form of intimidation, placing the public interest and professional ethics at the center. It also expresses its full support for any magistrate facing such attacks and declares that it will take every legal step to protect the integrity and image of magistrates in Albania.
Full statement
The Association of Prosecutors of the Republic of Albania expresses its deep concern regarding the repeated use of hate speech and contempt towards magistrates in the public and media space.
In a democratic society, the media, together with other actors of public life, constitute fundamental pillars in guaranteeing transparency, accountability and public trust. However, the use in some cases of the media and public platforms to target and lynch the figure of the magistrate, through insults, insinuations and defamation, up to forms of public persecution, constitutes an abusive and unacceptable practice. Such approaches violate the professional integrity of magistrates and damage public trust in the justice system, directly affecting the public interest and the foundations of the rule of law.
The Prosecutors' Association fully appreciates and supports freedom of expression and the essential role of the media in a democratic society, including the right to highlight problems and to express criticism of the justice system, even when this is strong. However, it is essential that this criticism and any debate regarding the justice system be conducted on the basis of facts and arguments, and not be replaced by personal attacks on magistrates.
In this regard, the Prosecutors' Association calls on public life and media actors to distance themselves from hate speech and any form of intimidation in public discourse, as well as to contribute to respecting ethics and professional standards, placing the public interest at the center.
In fulfillment of its mission to protect the principles of the rule of law and the independence of the justice system, the Prosecutors' Association expresses its full support for any magistrate who faces such attacks and remains determined to take every legal step to protect the integrity, image and values of magistrates in the Republic of Albania.
