Commissioner for the Right to Information and Protection of Personal Data, Besnik Dervishi, has called on media outlets, online portals and social media users to stop publishing and sharing intimate material involving public figures.

The Commissioner’s office said that public figures are also entitled to privacy and that public curiosity about a person’s private life does not, by itself, constitute a public interest that would justify publication.

In a statement, the office stressed that material previously posted or circulated online does not automatically become lawful to republish or redistribute.

“Being a public figure does not constitute a waiver of the right to private life,” the Commissioner’s office said, adding that freedom of expression and access to information must be exercised while respecting legal requirements, including necessity, proportionality and the protection of fundamental rights.

The statement referred to Albania’s Law No. 124/2024 on the Protection of Personal Data, saying that the unlawful processing, publication and distribution of such content is prohibited.

The Commissioner’s office also warned that individuals who unlawfully process personal data may face administrative and criminal measures.

“Every redistribution can increase the exposure and harm to the affected individuals and their families,” the statement said.

The office urged media organizations and internet users to stop publishing or redistributing intimate material in violation of the law and called for unlawfully published content to be removed.