Two Albanian journalists, Rakipllari and Grica detained for inciting panic and fear to citizens through fake news

Aurel Rakipllari and Daniela Grica

  Last night the residents of Tirana and Durres were shocked not only by another strong earthquake but also by fake news that started circulating immediately on social media - they wrote that another powerful earthquake was expected at 23:30 pm.

Following the Prime Minister's reaction, the Police has been set in motion and accompanied two journalists, respectively of syri.net and Shekulli portals, for publishing this fake news, with panic consequences for the citizens.

Screenshot of the fake news published by Edi Rama 

We remind that after these fake news, thousands of citizens in Tirana and Durres spent the night outside.

"Immediately after the publication of fake news on the portal" SYRI.net "and then some other portals, according to forecasts of a Greek seismologist that there will be a powerful earthquake at 23.30, which caused great panic to the citizens who abandoned their homes and took to the streets, Tirana Police Directorate Services have escorted to the Police the journalist of the SYRI portal, Aurel Rakipllari and the journalist Daniela Grica of Shekulli portal; for the publication of this fake news, with panic consequences for the citizens.

Albanian citizens outside at Mother Teresa Square after the distribution of the fake news on Sunday night, 09/22/2019

The State Police has set up a special investigative group to fully unravel the authorship of this malicious news which incited fear and panic among citizens.

State police call on citizens to keep calm and not fall prey to malicious reporting and assure them that anyone who disseminates such information will face the rule of law.

The State Police require the media's understanding to be more careful in the reports they distribute; seeking official information in front of news publications that create fear and panic among citizens," police said at midnight.