CEL considers very disturbing the fact that public faces in TV shows have the space to use hate speech against LGBTI + persons. Given the situation in our society, it is very important to pay attention to what content is published by the media because of the role they play in raising awareness in the general population.
On October 6, the show “Prime Time” was published on the YouTube channel with the presenter Xhemajl Rexha where guests were Tomë Gashi and Milaim Zeka and some other guests. After a clash between the guests, lawyer Tomë Gashi addresses the guest in an offensive and degrading manner, saying [quote]: “I do not speak with “f*aggots”. This language used in public normalizes hatred towards LGBTI + persons and incites hatred towards the general population in Kosovo.
We ask the highest instances to react against the language used by the lawyer Tomë Gashi and against KANAL 10 for allowing such a language in TV shows.
Again, we urge the media to be extra careful in the content of programs that are published that are harmful, to distance themselves from such language, and to hold their guests accountable in such cases. We ask the media to distance themselves from such language and apologize publicly to LGBTI + persons in Kosovo for harming their position in society.
