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North Macedonia journalists protest court verdict for enabling censorship
In October, the Civil Court in Skopje ruled that ‘Investigative Reporting Laboratory’ (IRL) had defamed a businessman it named in a documentary about the impact of dirty oil on air pollution.
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North Macedonia journalist organizations condemn verbal attack against female journalist
Journalist Ilinka Iljoska was threatened by employees of a state enterprise for public cleaning, after she photographed some of the garbage in a park near her home.
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Women journalists are the most common target of anti-press attacks in North Macedonia, journalist association warns
The AJM found that the frequency of attacks and threats against media workers increases in turbulent political situations, especially during elections. Moreover, impunity for attacks on journalists is prevalent, an issue that requires more serious commitment from law enforcement and judicial authorities:
![People take part in a protest in support of media freedom after a journalist was sentenced to prison for an article, in Skopje, North Macedonia, 20 January 2015, ROBERT ATANASOVSKI/AFP via Getty Images](https://ifex.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/north-macedonia-attacks-journalists-protest-media-freedom-getty-768x511.jpg)
North Macedonia: Justice Minister introduces amendments to increase protection of journalists
Authorities will treat cases involving attacks on journalists in the same way as they treat assaults on police officers. There will also be new penalties for assaulting a journalist or a media worker, and online harassment will be criminalised.
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COVID-19: Border closures exploited to spread disinformation in North Macedonia
Amid the resurgence of coronavirus cases in still-shuttered North Macedonia, the tourist seasons getting underway in nearby countries have been used to manipulate public opinion with disinformation and to inflate toxic nationalism.
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North Macedonia: Government official sends threats and sexual comments to journalists
The official told web journalist Meri Jordanovska that he would be “creating a funeral” for her; he told broadcast journalist Iskra Korovesovska that he knew where she lived, and that she should “run away” if she saw him on the street.
![A group of VMRO-DPMNE members stand to boycott the vote as the Macedonian parliament passes constitutional changes to allow the country to change its name to the Republic of North Macedonia, in Skopje, 19 October 2018, REUTERS/Tomislav Georgiev](https://ifex.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/macedonia-vmro-dpmne-protest-parliament-reuters.jpg)
Macedonia: Former ruling party propagandist calls for rape of woman journalist
Macedonia’s state-owned news agency (MIA) suspended the prominent VMRO-DPMNE promoter Cvetin Chilimanov after he called for the rape of journalist Valerie Hopkins on Twitter.
![A prop symbolizes the PBS as a propaganda tool during a protest in front of the PBS building, 28 February 2015, Vanco Dzambaski/Flickr](https://ifex.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/macedonia-pbs-propaganda-flickr.jpg)
Macedonia: Political developments put media reform on the backburner
The political tension in the Republic of Macedonia has increased in recent months ahead of the referendum, scheduled for 30 September 2018, on the agreement signed with Greece to solve the long-standing name dispute.
![Protesters gather in front of the parliament as part of the "We Decide" campaign in October 2016. The sign on the truck says "We can do better", Vančo Džambaski via Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)](https://ifex.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/macedonia-we-decide-soros-flickr.jpg)
Despite regime change, Macedonia still reeling from persecution
A campaign to frame civil society as criminals and traitors has severely affected the work, resources and reputation of activists in Macedonia.
![Macedonian journalist Tomislav Kezarovski, center, marches with his colleagues and friends during a protest in Skopje, Macedonia, 20 January 2015. The banner at the front reads "Freedom for Kezo" (Kezarovski), AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski](https://ifex.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/macedonia-tomislav-kezarovski-protest-ap.jpg)
Tomislav Kezarovski’s struggle finally over
Macedonian journalist can finally expect to be formally exonerated of political charges against him, after nearly five years.
![Macedonian police stand guard near the parliament building in Skopje, Macedonia, 28 April 2017, REUTERS/Ognen Teofilovski](https://ifex.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/macedonia-parliament-building-guards-security-reuters.jpg)
Violence against Macedonia’s journalists must stop
From the beginning of 2016 until yesterday at least 21 attacks against journalists in Macedonia have been registered by the Association of Journalists of Macedonia (ZNM), out of a total of several dozens within the last years.
![Protesters carry banners that say "No for Soros Government" as they march in Skopje, Macedonia, 20 March 2017, AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski](https://ifex.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/macedonia-soros-protest-ap.jpg)
De-legitimise and obstruct: An assault on civil society in Hungary and Macedonia
Populist, nationalist politicians in Central and Eastern Europe are launching attacks on civil society; the aim is to silence criticism and undermine pro-democracy, anti-corruption groups that hold governments to account.
![People march in Skopje, Macedonia, on 2 March 2017, AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski](https://ifex.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/macedonia-protest-march2017-ap.jpg)
Journalists repeatedly attacked in Macedonian political crisis
RSF condemns the many attacks against Macedonian journalists at demonstrations in the capital Skopje and provincial cities in recent weeks and urges the authorities to shed light on the violence.
![Civil society representatives hold a press conference in Skopje, 9 February 2017. The sign behind them reads, "We Must Protect Civil Society", Vančo Džambaski via Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)](https://ifex.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/macedonia-cso-reps-flickr.jpg)
Civil society under pressure in Macedonia
Macedonian ruling party leader and former Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski has pledged to ‘cleanse’ Macedonia’s long-embattled civil society sector.