Albanian police have arrested 51-year-old businessman Prelë Gjoni, who is suspected of physically assaulting journalist Ervin Dushi two days ago in the northern city of Shkodër.

Gjoni is the owner of the “Xhedis” supermarket chain in Shkodër. Authorities confirmed that the case has been referred to prosecutors for further legal action.

The circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear, but Dushi claims the assault is connected to a public denunciation he made some time ago in support of an employee of Gjoni’s supermarket chain, who had reportedly been involved in a dispute with the company owner.

Police said Gjoni was arrested on charges related to “assault because of duty,” a criminal offense under Albanian law concerning attacks against individuals due to their professional activity.

According to the official police statement, the incident occurred on May 18, 2026, at around 8:00 p.m. in the “Skënderbeg” neighborhood of Shkodër, where Gjoni allegedly punched 46-year-old journalist Ervin Dushi.

Dushi is not currently employed by a media outlet but has lived in Sweden for several years and works independently as a freelancer, mainly publishing denunciations and investigative content on social media platforms.

He previously worked as a journalist for the investigative television program “Fiks Fare” until 2010. Before leaving Albania, his home was targeted in an explosion involving explosives, causing material damage to the property.

The procedural materials have been forwarded to the Prosecutor’s Office at the First Instance Court of General Jurisdiction in Shkodër for further investigation.