The 2026 ruling by Albania’s Constitutional Court declared that the government’s one-year ban on the social media platform TikTok was a
violation of freedom of expression and freedom of the press.
The decision did not address free markets (freedom of economic activity), leaving that aspect of the ban unaffected.
The restriction, initially proposed by Prime Minister Edi Rama in December 2024, followed the fatal stabbing of a 14-year-old—which authorities linked to social media-related disputes between young people.
Rama cited a survey of 65,000 parents, 90% of whom reportedly supported shutting down TikTok, as justification for the measure. The government argued that the ban was carefully considered and not rushed.
The Association of Journalists of Albania (AJA) and the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN Albania) challenged the ban in March 2025, claiming it was incompatible with both the Albanian Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights.
Despite the government scrapping the ban in February 2026 and requesting dismissal of the case, the court decided to continue, emphasizing that the matter was of public interest and should guide future legislation.
In a statement, AJA welcomed the ruling, calling it
an important development for the protection of freedom of expression, information pluralism, and democratic standards in Albania.
Criticizing the verdict, Prime Minister Rama said, “The Constitutional Court thinks that 90% of Albanian parents and teachers were wrong when they demanded the closure of TikTok,” warning that the ruling could encourage slander.
In the meantime, Albania is facing a persistent threat posed by foreign-directed cyber-warfare, particularly as the country continues to host thousands of members of the Iranian opposition group, the MEK. Last week, the Albanian Parliament fell victim to a “sophisticated cyberattack” designed to compromise internal systems and delete sensitive records.
The Iran-linked hacker collective known as “Homeland Justice” has claimed responsibility for the intrusion.
