Activist and student Jurgen Shpërdhea, a participant in the anti-government protests since day one, has leveled accusations of censorship on social media, after the closure of a large number of pages and accounts reporting on the rallies.
Invited to the studio News24 In a conversation with journalist Nisida Tufa, Shpërdhea said that the blocking of over 200 active pages during the protests was not a random phenomenon, but according to him a coordinated action. He also shared his personal experience with Instagram, stating that his account was closed suddenly and without receiving the official notice of appeal that, according to him, is usually sent by the Meta platform.
"I was working at that moment and Instagram immediately removed me from my account. I tried to log in, but they had removed me directly. Without the right to appeal, as if I had made the appeal, but I was blocked. The same thing happened to another protester, in parallel with other people, activists involved in the protest, like Gent Progni, or such denunciatory pages. I am an expert in the field, I have learned how blocks, appeals work. In this case, we did not even receive the appeal email. The way it works, in terms of the correct form, is that you receive a report, then you have the right to appeal a post. In addition to a notification that you receive on Instagram, you also receive an official email from Meta. I did not receive anything. The only email is the fact that my blue tick payment was removed. Before the protest started, I had a private address. With the start of the protest, my engagement there, I felt the need to report the events that are happening against the system. Now I have used my Instagram to informed about the protest. I have done this for the case of other protesters as well. We have not published abusive materials, at most we have articulated the word; civil disobedience,” he said.
The activist said that other people involved in the protest, as well as denunciation pages that published footage from the rallies, have faced the same problem. According to him, in his case the normal notification and appeal procedure was not respected. Shpërdhea claims that he has not received any email from Meta regarding the blocking of the account, while the only notification he has received has been about the removal of the "blue tick" payment.
He stated that, after the protests began, he had used his personal account to inform the public about developments and to publish footage from the protests.
"We have not published abusive materials, at most we have articulated the word 'civil disobedience'", said the activist. Speaking about the developments in September, Shpërdhea said that the protests have started with intensity and expressed concern about the reaction of the police forces towards the protesters. He brought to attention the situations when the protesters approached the Prime Minister's Office, raising questions about the use of protective equipment and rubber batons by the officers.
"We are for peaceful escalation. I am even for a school boycott," he declared, adding that he expects active participation even on the 100th day of the protests. According to Shpërdhea, September 7 and September 12, when the Diaspora convoy is expected to arrive, could be two important moments for the continuation of the protests.
