17 local civil society organizations as well as international organizations defending media freedom reacted regarding the need to strengthen amendments to the Albanian Criminal Code for the complete decriminalization of defamation and insult.
International organizations defending media freedom such as the SafeJournalists Network, partners of the Rapid Response Mechanism for Media Freedom (RRM), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), as well as 17 civil society organizations in the country reacted regarding the need for the full decriminalization of defamation and insult in the new Criminal Code of the Republic of Albania.
They emphasized that defamation should be decriminalized not only for registered journalists, but also for human rights activists or other free speech advocates.
"We regret to note that the text approved on January 21 by the Committee on Legal Affairs and Public Administration does not fully decriminalize defamation and insult, but provides for a limited exemption only for journalists for the act of defamation," the civil society activists wrote in their response.
On January 21, 2026, the Committee on Legal Affairs in the Parliament of Albania approved a broad package of amendments to the Criminal Code of the Republic of Albania.
One of these changes coincides precisely with the decriminalization of the criminal offense of defamation for journalists, but referring only to registered and well-known journalists.
Despite media organizations welcoming these changes, calling them political will, they state that their adoption does not yet achieve the ultimate objective of a sustainable legislative approximation with European standards to protect expression of public interest in Albania.
"In particular, limiting protection to a narrow professional category risks excluding other public interest speakers, including civil society organizations, activists, researchers, whistleblowers, and citizens, who play an essential role in democratic discourse," the response from media freedom organizations quotes.
Activists further expressed concern regarding the category of insult, which still remains a criminal offense.
"Maintaining criminal offenses such as insult undermines the effectiveness of partial reforms, allowing critical expression to be prosecuted and maintaining the pressure of criminal law on free speech," the free speech activists wrote.
Although they supported strengthening criminal measures to protect journalists in cases where they are threatened or attacked for performing their duties, the activists emphasized that the ultimate improvement of the media climate necessarily requires the removal of insult from criminal offenses.
"The complete decriminalization of defamation and insult remains the only acceptable outcome," concluded the representatives of civil society organizations. /BIRN/
