The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights has voiced its concern over the Ministry of Health’s request to the media to refrain from photographing or filming patients injured in the recent fire at the “Pulse” disco in Kochani. The organization emphasizes the importance of balancing patient privacy with the public’s right to information, particularly regarding the treatment and conditions of victims in a tragedy of this scale.

The Helsinki Committee views the Ministry’s appeal as potentially problematic, suggesting it could lead to institutional restrictions on freedom of expression and the public’s access to information. The organization cautioned that such actions could establish a harmful precedent, potentially resulting in censorship and arbitrary limitations on media operations.

The Committee reminds the Ministry of Health that journalistic ethics and professional standards are primarily governed by self-regulation. Bodies like the Council for Ethics in the Media and the Court of Honor at the Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM) are the appropriate entities to address these issues, not the Ministry.

The Helsinki Committee highlights that Article 16 of the Constitution of the Republic of North Macedonia guarantees freedom of expression and explicitly prohibits censorship. Instructions from state institutions, even when framed as appeals, can be interpreted as a form of institutional pressure, according to the Committee.

The Helsinki Committee urges the Ministry of Health to avoid imposing informal restrictions on the work of the media. It also encourages journalists to maintain professional and ethical standards while reporting on the tragedy, remaining sensitive to the victims and upholding their responsibility to the public interest.