Prishtina, 01 March 2012 – Today, Anti-Corruption Agency submitted to the municipal court of Prishtina the lawsuit against Lorik Bajrami and Artan Demhasaj, representatives of Non-Governmental Organization “ÇOHU” and against Besnik Boletini from the Kosovo Centre for Investigative Journalism, since the same on 16.02.2012 in Prishtina through a media conference spread a host of untrue things and insinuations in order to damage the image and authority of this institution and its director.
The manner in which the defendants have accused the Agency and its director according to the nature and the circumstances under which the accusations are published severely has damaged the authority of the person and reputation of the institution to which they are addressed. The publication of these false data of offensive character has been done willingly since the defendants were aware of what they were spreading or bringing out to the public, is untrue and damages the honour and prestige of the person and institution to which they are addressed.
Furthermore, the defendants have previously warned that with their data they will prepare and conduct criminal charges against the leaders of the ACA, and the same shall be published in the most unfavourable moment for ACA, in this way, the insult and defamation charges were made just a day after the constitution of the National Council Against Corruption by the President of the country.
Anti-Corruption Agency has always been and will be cooperating in the activities of civil society and encourages investigative journalism but strongly believes in the legislation which provides that the operation of NGOs, investigative journalism and other forms of information with persons working for them, in the exercise of their activity, are required to adhere to the principles of professionalism, ethics and act in a spirit of respect for truth and human rights. – Thus, the issuance and publication of information to be true, not to be published by issue, spreading and allegations of insinuations and untrue things of offensive character in order to damage the image as it has happened in this case.
The Agency, through these proceedings, does not set a property claim for compensation of immaterial damages suffered as a result of the actions and criminal liability of the defendants, but the goal is to unearth the truth.
These charges are made pursuant to Article 54 and Article 465 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, as ACA considers that those defendants have committed a criminal offense of Insult from Article 187 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code of Kosovo and a criminal offense of Defamation under Article 188 paragraph l of CCK.
