The Albanian Association of the Blind strongly condemns the discriminatory language used against blind contestant, Stenaldo Mëhilli, on Big Brother VIP Albania 5, where blindness was labeled as a “punishment” or “curse from God.” In a statement, the association states that “Such language is not a debate, nor a game, but a serious violation of human dignity that fuels prejudice, bullying and exclusion against people with disabilities — especially when broadcast in a format with a mass audience.
The association demands a clear public distancing from this rhetoric, an apology to Stenaldo and the community of people with disabilities, as well as the immediate implementation of disciplinary measures with a "zero tolerance" standard for any form of discrimination.
At the same time, full solidarity is expressed with Stenaldo, who has entered this format as an equal and has shown that disability does not diminish a person's value or capacity.
The Albanian Association of the Blind calls on Top Channel and the production to treat this event with serious public responsibility, as an educational moment and not as an incident that can pass without consequences.
