AJM: We ask for an apology for the public insults towards colleague Sabrioski published on Civil Media
The Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM) reacts and condemns the disparaging attitude and the attack on journalists on a personal basis in the Civil Media post entitled: “The media on a tightrope with the center of lies”.
In the column, the author of the text, Ljubomir Kostovski, comments in an indecent way on the personal appearance and style of the TV24 journalist Sunai Sabrioski, and at the same time make an attempt to discredit him and the media in which he works.
We point out that freedom of expression needs to be promoted and nurtured as one of the most important human rights, but at the same time, it is necessary to know that the realization of these freedoms includes obligations and responsibilities. The right to public criticism is indisputable, but criticism of physical appearance or style is extremely derogatory and rude. In addition, Kostovski adds in his announcement: “Other television channels showed citizens who simply went to Tinex and other shopping centers where the prices – they clearly said – are frozen.” Well, that’s the difference that clearly shows that TV 24 is the most pronounced ideological „janicar“(ajm note: Turkish word for a member of the Turkish infantry unit in the capacity of the bodyguard of the sultan) on the local TV scene.”
Publishing this type of content about colleague Sabrioski, but also using this vocabulary towards any media, may encourage hate speech by third parties. Hate can directly threaten the safety of journalists and other individuals, which means that in addition to the perpetrators, those who instigated the acts of hate are also criminally responsible.
The editorial team of this media must not hide behind the right of opinion and column of its collaborators and they have an obligation to indicate when certain articles may threaten the rights of others, such as in this case the rights of colleague Sabrioski, but also the rights of potentially other media workers from this television.
Therefore, we invite the author of the text Ljubomir Kostovski and the editor of the online media Civil Media to apologize to the colleague from TV24 Sunai Sabrioski publicly!
