Marin Mema

Marin Mema (born 22 March 1981) is an Albanian investigative journalist and former footballer. He serves as an Albanian nationalistic activist. In addition to being a reporter of Top Channel, he writes for Gazeta Shqiptare. During his football career, he played as a midfielder and winger.[1]

Marin Mema
Mema in 2020
Personal details
Born	Marin Mema 22 March 1981 Tirana, Albania
Nationality	Albanian
Occupation	Footballer Journalist
Association football career Position(s) Midfielder and winger Youth career Years Team 1990–2002 Dinamo Tirana

Early life

Prior to dealing with journalism, Mema at the age of 9 started playing football at Dinamo Tirana,[1] he was also part of one of Albania national youth team's regional selections in 1997,[2] but after 12 years was forced to leave football due to injuries.[1]

In July 2003, Mema graduated in journalism at the journalism department of the University of Tirana, he is mostly involved in investigative journalism, his reports range from government corruption to human rights abuses. In 2011–12, Mema reported from Margariti and Filiates about the properties of the Chams that have been appropriated by the Greek state. For his reports in August 2012, he was banned from entering Greece and declared persona non grata.[3] Union of Journalists of Albania protested in front of the Greek embassy in Tirana against the entry ban.[4] On 26 November 2019, Mema combined with Marko Kepi, the head of the United States Albanian diaspora organisation Albanian Roots to raise $1,300,000 for 2019 Albania earthquake victims.[5]

References

1. "Një rrëfim ndryshe i Marin Memës, 12 vitet e një ëndrre dhe pasioni për futbollin (e plotë)" [A different story of Marin Mema, 12 years of a dream and passion for football (full story)]. News Sport (in Albanian). 28 December 2019.
2. "Gazetari i Top Channel bëhet nostalgjik për të shkuarën si futbollist: Dëshira dhe pasioni na mbajtën gjallë" [Gazetari i Top Channel bëhet nostalgjik për të shkuarën si futbollist: Dëshira dhe pasioni na mbajtën gjallë]. News Sport (in Albanian). 9 August 2017.
3. Besar Likmeta (23 August 2012). "Greeks Bar Albanian Journalist as 'Security Threat'". Balkan Insight.
4. "Journalists protest in front of Greek embassy against entry ban issued over their colleague". Albanian Screen. 22 August 2012. Archived from the original on 12 November 2014.
5. "Shqiptarët solidarizohen me tërmetin, ja sa është shuma e grumbulluar deri më tani" [Albanians solidarize with the earthquake, so far the amount accumulated so far] (in Albanian). Top Channel. 28 November 2019.