This factsheet aims to analyze the national regulatory and self-regulatory framework against disinformation and hate speech in Kosovo.
The publication of an untrue fact or statement when the publisher knows or should know that the fact or the statement is untrue, the meaning of which injures the reputation of another person (defamation), or a statement, behavior, or publication of a statement directed at another person that is humiliating (insult) is prohibited by the Civil Law against Defamation and Insult.
Furthermore, anyone who publicly incites or publicly spreads hatred, discord and intolerance between national, racial, religious, ethnic and other groups or based on sexual orientation, gender identity and other personal characteristics in a manner which is likely to disturb the public order is punishable by fine or imprisonment of up to five years according to the Criminal Code of Kosovo.
In addition to the legal framework, media regulatory bodies have further developed internal regulations to restrict and punish hate speech and disinformation. The Code of Ethics of the Independent Media Commission and the Code of Print Media of the Kosovo Press Council contain guidelines on fair and objective reporting.
Download the publication in English and in Albanian.
This publication was produced within Resilience: Civil Society for Media Free of Hate and Disinformation, a regional project financially supported by the European Union and implemented in the Western Balkans and Turkey by a consortium of media development organizations led by SEENPM. It is part of a series of publications on the same general topic researched in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey (all publications are available on the SEENPM website).
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Funded by the European Union
The regional program ‘RESILIENCE: Civil society action to reaffirm media freedom and counter disinformation and hateful propaganda in Western Balkans and Turkey’ is implemented with the financial support of the European Union by partner organizations SEENPM, Albanian Media Institute, Mediacentar Sarajevo, Kosovo 2.0, Montenegrin Media Institute, Macedonian Institute for Media, Novi Sad School of Journalism, Peace Institute and Bianet.
This article was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of SEENPM and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
