05/01/2018: LATVIA – EXPULSION OF TWO RUSSIAN JOURNALISTS FROM LATVIA

Vienna, 05/01/2018

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) expressed concern regarding expulsion of two Russian journalist from Latvia

According to information before SEEMO, on 4 January 2018, the Russian journalist Olga Kurlaeva, who works for the Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company VGTRK, was detained and deported from the country. According to VGTRK, she has been accused of representing a threat to Latvia’s national security.

Only two days previously, on 2 January, her husband Anatoliy Kurlaev, who works for the Russian TVC state-owned TV channel, was also deported from Latvia.

“There is a lack of transparency in both cases. It is not acceptable that one EU country is doing something like this. Journalist must have the freedom of movement and free access to information. Maybe someone in Latvia was not happy with the reporting of this two Russian journalists – but it is not acceptable to stop the journalists to work. It is a clear attack on press freedom”, Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO secretary general said.

Vienna, 23/12/2017

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is alarmed about developments in Greece and condemned the attacks in Thessaloniki, Greece against the Journalists’ Union of Macedonia and Thrace Daily Newspapers (ESIEMTH) and two municipal media outlets.

On Wednesday, 20 December, a group of about twenty hooded individuals attempted to enter the premises of TV station TV1000 and radio station FM1000. They did not make it further than the entrance, but the group still managed to break windows on the headquarters, damage vehicles belonging to the media, threw paint and left slogans against journalists. A media worker was hit with a crowbar and required medical assistance.

The following day, 21 December, a group of about ten masked attackers stormed the offices of ESIEMTH, where they threatened the staff present at the time to “not move” as “an intervention was about to happen”. They then destroyed several computers, a TV, as well as printers and chairs before leaving the premises.

According to sources, a police investigation has been launched, and SEEMO expressed support for swift actions and penalties against any attackers that are identified. Greek press workers must be protected from such threats and brutal physical attacks. A message must be sent to all perpetrators of similar and future attacks that no censoring or violence can disrupt the freedom of speech in Greece.

SEEMO is a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South, East and Central Europe and its press freedom work is supported by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) project, as part of a grant by the European Commission.

Vienna, 22/12/2017

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) expressed deep dismay after learning that a local journalist in the town of Krasny Sulin, in Russia’s southern Rostov region, was shot today.

Independent journalist Vyacheslav Prudnikov, a contributor for the independent news website Kavkazsky Uzel (Кавказский Узел – http://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/), was shot today during a meeting with a local official.

The journalist was at a meeting with a municipal officer, who wished to remain anonymous, when a vehicle stopped near them. A man then exited the vehicle and opened fire on Prudnikov. The attacker yelled at the journalist that he was “criticizing local authorities too much” and that because of this “we will kill you”. Prudnikov soon received medical assistance, but the unidentified man fled the scene almost immediately.

“We call authorities in the town of Krasny Sulin and Russian institutions to react immediately to this horrific attack” Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General said today. “This is not only unacceptable as a violation of human rights, the journalistic and personal safety of an individual, but is also a telltale sign that press freedom in Russia is in a very bad condition” Vujovic added.

SEEMO is a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South, East and Central Europe.

Vienna, 16/12/2017

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) expressed criticism after it was revealed that the Presidential Office of Moldova intentionally limited a journalist’s access to a series of public events.

Investigative journalist Constantin Gigorita was prevented from receiving accreditation for several events, despite court rulings reaffirming the right to access public information.

“Institutions in Moldova must immediately stop any attempt of preventing journalists from accessing public information or events. This is harmful for the media scene, for freedom of speech and in the end, the government that is enforcing these restrictions as well” SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic said earlier.

SEEMO is a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South, East and Central Europe.

Vienna, 15/12/2017

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) expressed concern after the Polish media regulator (KRRiT) issued a 1 479 000 PLN (approx. 352 000 EUR) fine on news broadcaster TVN24.

The fine was allegedly issued over the coverage TVN24 did during parliamentary elections in 2016, and has since brought up accusations against the government of attempting to censor and muzzle the media. Recent speculations that the Polish state may be attempting to take over TVN24 add to the concern regarding this case. Earlier in 2017, tax authorities in the country demanded that the TV station’s parent company TVN submit an allegedly unpaid tax of around 110 million zloty (approx. 26,139 million EUR), after claiming that there were “irregularities” in a transaction when the group took over a rival in 2012.

SEEMO expressed concern for the actions of KRRiT and call on the media regulator to show transparent arguments for these financial fines. SEEMO also calls on institutions in Poland to allow media outlets to work freely and independently, without the fear of censorship or secret media ownership and bias.

SEEMO is a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South, East and Central Europe and its press freedom work is supported by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) project, as part of a grant by the European Commission.

Vienna, 15/12/2017

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemned a recent incident in Russia, which occurred during “The Process” talk-show, which is run by state-owned TV station Zvezda (“Звезда”.).

Journalist, political expert and editor-in-chief of news agency Realist Sarkis Tsaturyan ( Саркис Цатурян) was physically attacked during the show, and on-air.

During a discussion about US President Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as a capital of Israel, a participant in the discussion stated that he would like “the Turk-phobic experts of Armenian and Syrian nationalities, who downplayed the role of Turkey, calm down”. When Tsaturyan attempted to respond, the participant walked up to him and tried to push him, while repeatedly demanding that the journalist stay silent while he speaks. The show hosts managed to separate the guests.

SEEMO expressed concern that an outright physical attack could happen in front of TV cameras and called on the assailant to offer a public apology to the journalist he tried to tackle. Physical violence and hate speech are never keys to resolving a dispute or difference of opinions.

SEEMO is a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South, East and Central Europe.

Vienna, 14/12/2017

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) was surprised to learn that on 12 December, the Bulgarian Commission for Illegal Assets Forfeiture froze property and bank account belongings of Ivo Prokopiev, a businessman and media owner.

Prokopiev, who is the majority owner of financial paper Kapital and news site Dnevnik, claims that the state agency sets to intimidate journalists and censor outlets. Prokopiev and his family have undergone 27 tax checks over the past few years and no violations were found. His media are often critical of the government.

The Commission is planning to file a claim against the media owner in order to seize his assets and property, estimated at about 199 million Bulgarian levs (approx. 101 million EUR). According to them, Prokopiev allegedly obtained his wealth from a rogue privatization of Kaolin mineral plant 17 years ago, which he denies. In 2004, a court in Bulgaria ruled that no wrongdoing occurred during the privatization of said plant.

“I am surprise about this decision. I am asking the Bulgarian officials for more information and a transparent investigation. Ivo Prokopiev is a long year SEEMO friend. and a high professional manager.”, Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO secretary general, said.

SEEMO is a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South, East and Central Europe and its press freedom work is supported by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) project, as part of a grant by the European Commission.

Vienna, 13/12/2017

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) expressed harsh condemnation following the death threats and verbal attacks N1 TV journalist Natasa Bozic Saric (Nataša Božić Šarić) received on 10 December.

In her Sunday weekly show, where she comments on current events, the presenter expressed her view that General Slobodan Praljak, who was recently convicted as a war criminal by The Hague International Criminal Court, should be stripped of his medals. This was followed by a slew of insults and verbal threats on social media, with several threatening Bozic Saric’s safety and well-being, including one suggesting that “she should be decapitated” followed by an insult.

SEEMO expressed shock for the behavior of all individuals that used hate speech and insults and applauds the quick reaction and investigation of Croatian authorities who detained an individual yesterday, 12 December, after which it was revealed that he admitted to making the threat. Protection of journalistic safety and human rights is crucial for press freedom, and we call authorities to act in this proactive manner in all cases of attacks and threats against media workers.

SEEMO is a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South, East and Central Europe and its press freedom work is supported by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) project, as part of a grant by the European Commission.

Vienna, 07/12/2017

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) expressed criticism after it was revealed that Andrej Plenkovic (Andrej Plenković), the current Croatian Prime Minister, verbally attacked a journalist.

Yesterday, 6 December, the PM was presented with a question by a journalist of the N1 TV station regarding his changing opinion about the recent sentencing of war criminals in The Hague. Although the PM stated that the sentences were “unacceptable” a few days ago, this time when asked for his opinion Plenkovic began accusing the journalist of “twisting facts” and suggested that she was involved in “hybrid works” against him.

The PM has recently been involved in a slew of accusations and verbal conflicts with members of the media, which SEEMO criticizes and sees as outright disrespect shown by a high public and political figure towards freedom of speech and thought. The Prime Minister of a country must not behave arrogantly towards members of the media nor accuse them of inner workings against them or the government. SEEMO calls on Andrej Plenkovic to issue a public apology to all journalists he has recently exhibited this behavior towards.

SEEMO is a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South, East and Central Europe and its press freedom work is supported by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) project, as part of a grant by the European Commission.

Vienna, 07/12/2017

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) was perturbed to learn that Dinamo Kiev football club fans and hooligans brutally attacked Serbian visitors, including a TV crew of the sport club Partizan, Belgrade, prior to the UEFA Euro league match between teams from the two countries.

On 7 December, day when the football match was to be held between Dinamo Kiev and Partizan Belgrade, hooligans attacked and beat two journalists. The media workers from Partizan TV were injured and diagnosed with head trauma once they were hospitalized.

“We were deeply disturbed by such violent news coming from Ukraine” SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic said today. “We call on Ukrainian authorities to immediately launch an investigation and find the assaulters, and we also call on them to issue apologies and help the victims of such brutal physical violence” Vujovic added.

SEEMO is a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South, East and Central Europe.