AJM: Journalist and camera operator were attacked with an axe – we demand an immediate reaction from the Ministry of Interior

The Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM) requests from the Ministry of Interior to conduct a prompt and efficient investigation on today’s attack on our colleagues from TV Polog, Tetovo.

Namely, today during the filming of reportage inserts from the primary school “Naim Frasheri” in the village of Djurdjevishte, municipality of Vrapchishte, Gostivar around 2 pm, one person verbally and then physically attacked the journalist Nevri Ademi and the camera operator Zbulim Maksuti.

According to the statements of our colleagues, for the needs of the reportage on the implementation of the projects in the school, while they were filming in the school, Burhan Hamiti addressed them with verbal insults and threats and grabbed journalist by the head and pushed him down the school stairs.

AJM immediately contacted the journalist of TV Polog Nevri Ademi and he confirmed us this incident and gave us specific information: “While we were filming and working on the report with my colleague camera operator Zbulim, Burhan Hamiti approached us and after he address us with insulting words, he grabbed me by the head and pushed me down the stairs. Then he went down to the schoolyard and started chasing us with an axe. We quickly got in the car and headed to the police station to report the attack, and the attacker followed us all the time with his car to the village of Negotino, Gostivar,” said Ademi.

AJM requests from the Ministry of Interior to conduct a fast and efficient investigation in the interest of finding and sanctioning the attacker. We emphasize that threats to life are considered as crimes under the Criminal Code and the Ministry of Interior and the Public Prosecutor’s Office should urgently investigate and prosecute in order to punish those who violate the law and to prevent such possible crimes in the future.