By The SafeJournalists Network expresses serious concern over the detention of Dutch journalist and author Vincent W.J. van Gerven Oei by the Albanian State Police during a protest in Tirana on 7 November 2026, including his handcuffing, exposure to pepper spray and the seizure of his mobile phone. The reported use of pepper spray against freelance journalist Alisa Braho, who was filming the police intervention, raises additional concerns about police conduct. This latest incident reinforces a troubling pattern of police interference with journalists during protests in Albania, despite repeated demands for investigations, accountability and effective protection.
According to Van Gerven Oei’s first-hand account, published on 8 November, police stopped him near Rinia Park without clearly explaining the grounds for his detention. As Alisa Braho filmed the intervention, an officer reportedly pepper-sprayed her and Van Gerven Oei. He was subsequently handcuffed and taken to Police Station No. 3, where he reports being questioned before being informed of his rights, receiving inadequate medical assistance, and initially being denied contact with the Dutch Embassy. Officers reportedly claimed to possess footage of him throwing stones, an allegation he denies. According to his account, he was released five hours after being booked, but his phone was initially retained as evidence, and he did not receive copies of the relevant procedural documents. Following prompt intervention by the prosecution, his phone was returned on Sunday, 8 November, at approximately 18:00.
The SafeJournalists Network welcomes the prosecution’s prompt intervention and the return of the journalist’s phone. Nevertheless, the initial seizure raises important questions about journalistic confidentiality and source protection. Any seizure or examination of journalists’ devices must comply with strict legal safeguards. The State Police’s own Guidelines for the Safety of Journalists recognise their right to document police operations and restrict the seizure of journalistic equipment. The authorities should clarify the legal grounds for the initial seizure, whether the device’s contents were accessed or copied, and what safeguards were applied.
This case follows previous incidents involving police detention and phone seizure and repeated violence and obstruction against journalists documenting police operations. The urgency of institutional accountability has already been raised by leading international and European press freedom organisations, the SafeJournalists Network and Albanian organisations, as well as a broader coalition of human rights, rule-of-law and civil society organisations.
The recurrence of these incidents raises serious questions about police command, operational supervision and institutional accountability. Despite the adoption of the State Police Guidelines for the Safety of Journalists in May 2025, journalists continue to face violence and obstruction during protests. The authorities have yet to provide a sufficiently clear public account of the outcomes of investigations involving journalists and the corrective measures taken to prevent further incidents. The gap between formal safeguards and their enforcement remains a central concern.
The SafeJournalists Network calls on the Albanian State Police and competent authorities to clarify the legal grounds for Van Gerven Oei’s detention and the initial seizure of his phone, provide the relevant procedural documentation and confirm whether any confidential journalistic material was accessed or copied.
The Network urges the Police Oversight Agency (AMP) and competent prosecution authorities to independently investigate the reported use of force, treatment in custody and possible violations of procedural rights, preserve relevant evidence and establish responsibility wherever unlawful conduct is confirmed.
Beyond this individual case, the State Police leadership and Ministry of Interior must publicly account for the investigations and measures taken following previous incidents involving journalists. The Albanian Parliament should exercise its oversight mandate, including through the parliamentary hearing already requested by media freedom and civil society organisations, to examine police conduct, operational supervision and the implementation of existing safeguards.
While police have a responsibility to maintain public order, their actions must remain lawful, necessary and proportionate. The State has a positive obligation to protect journalists, including when they document possible abuses by public authorities. Repeated incidents without transparent investigations, effective accountability and demonstrable preventive measures risk undermining press freedom, public oversight and the right to information.
The SafeJournalists Network stands in solidarity with Vincent W.J. van Gerven Oei and journalists affected will continue monitoring the case.
Every attack on journalists is an attack on democracy, public interest, and fundamental human rights.
Pristina – Skopje – Sarajevo – Zagreb – Belgrade – Podgorica – Tirana, 8 November 2026
Association of Journalists of Albania
Association of Journalists of Kosovo
Association of Journalists of Macedonia
BH Journalists Association
Croatian Journalists’ Association
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia
Trade Union of Media of Montenegro
