Vienna, 10/07/2008
The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is alarmed about new threats issued against Dusan Miljus, a journalist for Jutarnji list, a Croatian daily.
According to the Croatian Journalists’ Association, on 9 July, serious threats were communicated by telephone to a relative of Miljus, who was told that if Miljus did not “stop talking, other members of his family might get hurt”. The unknown male caller then clearly indicated that he had information about Miljus’s family members. Miljus was assaulted by two unknown assailants in front of his Zagreb home on June 2. In that attack, regarding which SEEMO issued a protest letter, he suffered a fractured left arm, a concussion and facial injuries. Miljus was also previously threatened by way of a paid advertisement in Vecernji List, when the sister of a murdered criminal convict issued an obituary for Miljus.
SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic stated that he was “alarmed about these new threats, and the police’s continued failure to track the assailants responsible for the June attack on Miljus”.
SEEMO notes that these threats are not only attacks on personal freedoms, but also on investigative journalism and freedom of speech in general. SEEMO urges Croatian authorities to do everything in their power to protect Miljus and his family, and to bring the attackers to justice.