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March 13, 2026 – Kosovo –
Press freedom organizations have called for an urgent investigation after the personal information of Kosovo journalist Ardiana Thaçi-Mehmeti was leaked online, triggering a wave of harassment and threats against her.
Thaçi-Mehmeti, an investigative journalist known for her work with the television programme Kiks Kosova, had her private phone number and other personal details shared without consent in a large online group on the messaging platform Discord. The group reportedly has around 70,000 members, many of whom began sending the journalist harassing messages after her information was circulated.
According to media organizations and journalists’ associations in Kosovo, Thaçi-Mehmeti received numerous messages overnight, many of them sexually explicit or degrading in nature. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AGK) strongly condemned the incident and urged authorities to investigate the leak and identify those responsible.
Press freedom advocates say the attack appears linked to the journalist’s previous reporting on similar online groups where personal information and images of women were shared without consent. Thaçi-Mehmeti had investigated such networks, including online communities accused of facilitating harassment and the distribution of private data. Media organizations believe the latest leak may be a retaliatory act aimed at intimidating her because of her work.
Representatives from the Association of Journalists of Kosovo accompanied Thaçi-Mehmeti in filing a complaint with the Kosovo Police’s cybercrime unit, and the case has also been referred to prosecutors. Advocacy groups are urging authorities to shut down the online group involved and hold its administrators accountable for enabling harassment and the illegal dissemination of personal data.
The incident is not the first time the journalist has faced online harassment. Media organizations note that she has previously been targeted by smear campaigns and abusive messages following investigations into digital networks accused of promoting misogynistic harassment and blackmail.
Press freedom groups warn that such attacks are part of a broader pattern of gender-based harassment directed at women journalists. They argue that coordinated online abuse and the exposure of private data can place reporters at serious risk and are often used as tools to intimidate journalists and discourage investigative reporting.
Organizations representing journalists in Kosovo and across Europe have expressed solidarity with Thaçi-Mehmeti and called on authorities to act swiftly. They stress that identifying those responsible and ensuring accountability will be crucial for protecting journalists from online intimidation and safeguarding press freedom.
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