21/07/2017: CROATIA – SEEMO MONITORS WORRISOME DEVELOPMENTS WITHIN CROATIAN PUBLIC BROADCASTER

Vienna, 21/07/2017

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is concerned about the recent developments within the public broadcaster Croatian Radio Television (HRT).

The Croatian Journalist Association (Hrvatsko novinarsko drustvo – HND) called on the Parliament Committee through a pubic letter to not go through with the planned vote to remove HRT Supervisory Board members. Despite this public plea, the vote was carried out the following day (14 July), and four out of the five existing members were removed. The fifth member is a representative of HRT employees, so they cannot be appointed or removed by the Parliament.

This action is worrisome because the Supervisory Board members were removed from their positions without completing even a half of their entire 4 year term.

“The situation within the Croatian public broadcaster has been problematic for quite a while now, and we will be monitoring further developments closely” Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General stated.

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, 21/07/2017

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) harshly condemned the attack on investigative journalist and columnist Yulia Latynina in her home close to Moscow.

On 19 July, unknown perpetrators organized a gas attack the journalist.

Latynina, a columnist for the daily Novaya Gazeta and host of a weekly radio talk show, reported the incident and stated that the unknown substance caused in her house nausea, dizziness and diarrhea. The gas was sprayed over the windows and doors.

SEEMO expressed deep concern for the wellbeing and safety of Yulia Latynina, as well as her family, and call on authorities in Russia to conduct a transparent investigation and find the perpetrators of this attack.

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

Vienna, 20/07/2017

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), condemns the physical attack against the Bosnian and Herzegovinian journalist Stefica Galic, editor-in-chief of the web portal tacno.net.

Galic was beaten on 18 July 2012 in Ljubuski, a small town 170 kilometres south of Sarajevo by a group of men and women while taking an evening stroll. She required medical assistance but was not hospitalized. The incident occurred two days after the screening of a documentary film, Nedjo of Ljubuski, dedicated to her late husband Nedeljko Nedjo Galic, a man awarded for civil courage during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1991-1995). Nedjo Galic helped Bosniak (Muslim) citizens to escape from Ljubuski and thus avoid deportation to a concentration camp and death.

Stefica Galic and her children have been threatened and insulted by nationalists both before and after the film’s screening. Although attempts to halt the screening failed, some people who participated in the film had left their homes due to threats, according to Amer Bahtijar, journalist from the web portal tacno.net.

Many human rights activists and politicians have condemned the attack. “I call on the Sarajevo authorities to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice. I also urge them to protect the Galic family and guarantee security to all citizens in Ljubuski. The attack on Stefica Galic was an attack on the freedom of expression and democracy,” said Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General.

Vienna, 20/07/2017

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) joins representatives of NGOs in Moldova, after the Minister of Justice pushes forward dangerous draft measures for the regulations of non-governmental organisations in the country.

The new draft law was presented to the public in the beginning of July, and it is including three articles that have caused an outcry in the country and international community. Articles 28, 29 and 30 include provisions regarding political activity of NGOs, like activities such as advocating for the improvement democracy. This will directly affect their scope of work and prohibit foreign financing causing most of NGOs in Moldova to lose their main source of support.

On 11 July 78 NGOs in Moldova, including leading media NGOs, have signed a letter urging the government to oppose the measure. According to this letter: “In spring 2016, the Minister of Justice, Mr. Vladimir Cebotari, accepted the proposal of several civil society organizations to improve the legislation on non-governmental organizations and established a working group to this end, composed of representatives of non-governmental organizations and the Ministry of Justice. The group worked for more than a year and prepared a draft law intended to replace the Law on Public Associations and the Law on Foundations. This draft is in line with the best international standards and practices and may represent, if adopted, a step forward in ensuring a sustainable and independent associative sector in the Republic of Moldova. The draft was endorsed by international experts and subjected to public consultations with participation of non-commercial organizations held on 14 September 2016 by the Ministry of Justice. During its activity, the working group enjoyed independence and was not subject to undue influence by the leadership of the Ministry of Justice or any other authorities. The draft Law on non-governmental organizations is ready to be promoted for adoption Last week, the representatives of NGOs, members of the above-referenced working group, received from the representatives of the Ministry of Justice, part of the same group, a proposal to complete the draft with three additional articles (Articles 28-30) presented by the Minister of Justice. The additions include “special provisions on political activity of non-governmental organizations”, which significantly limit the activity of non-governmental organizations and establish prohibitions for their direct or indirect foreign financing. These restrictions refer to organizations that contribute to development and promotion of public policies intended to influence the legislative process. At the same time, these restrictions apply to the organizations that, according to the initiative, could participate or intervene in political activities, electoral campaigns, electoral programs, support political parties, their leaders or candidates, promote them or any other actions undertaken by them, either jointly or separately, both, in elections within the meaning of the Electoral Code or matters subject to a referendum, or beyond elections. These organizations will be prohibited even from accessing the 2% mechanism. The adjustments also aim at additional financial transparency rules for all organizations that benefit from financing outside the Republic of Moldova. They should submit to the Ministry of Justice quarterly and annual financial reports, even though such reports are submitted monthly and annually with the Tax authorities of the Republic of Moldova. Moreover, the NGOs should publish other reports confirming the origin of the organization’s funds and revenues, and of the members of its management bodies as well. Additionally, organizations will have to submit a written declaration on incomes and expenditures ratio for “political activities” to the Ministry of Justice and the Central Electoral Commission and publish it on their website. For breach of the above requirements, the Ministry of Justice will apply sanctions to the nongovernmental organization and to the members of its management bodies. Some of the provided sanctions are a financial penalty in the amount of the monthly salary fund of the organization or in the amount of the material value of which the financial organization benefited in committing the breach, whichever is greater, as well as the liquidation of the organization, based on a court decision.”

“We are gravely concerned for the survival and proper functioning of non-governmental organisations in Moldova” SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic stated earlier today. “We call on institutions in Moldova to drop this draft proposal” Vujovic also added.

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

Vienna, 20/07/2017

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) expressed their support of local and international human rights organisations that urge authorities in Ukraine to investigate the death of Pavel Grigorievich Sheremet (Павел Григорьевич Шеремет / Павел Рыгоравіч Шарамет), a Belarusian-born Russian and Ukrainian journalist.

Sheremet, a journalist and morning talk show host was killed on 20 July 2016 by a car bomb that was placed in his vehicle. One year later, the perpetrators behind his murder have not been found or sentenced. <br><br>

SEEMO remind institutions in Ukraine that the lack of action when investigating attacks on journalists and the cases of their murders, sends a negative signal regarding the state of human rights and media freedoms.

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

Vienna, 20/07/2017

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) was dismayed to learn that blogger Aleksandr Lapshin was convicted to three years in prison for illegally crossing state borders into the disputed Nagorrno-Karabakh region on three occasions between 2011-2016.

The Russian-Israeli travel blogger was detained in Belarus on 15 December 2016, extradited to Azerbaijan per request of their authorities on 7 February. Israeli officials wanted to prevent Lapshin’s extradition. He also holds Ukrainian and Russian citizenship. Lapshin was sentenced for entering the region which Azerbaijan and Armenia both claim, but additional charges of “making anti-state calls to the public” were dropped for lack of evidence.

SEEMO expressed deep concern for the safety and human rights of Aleksandr Lapshin. SEEMO called institutions in Azerbaijan to release the blogger and acquit him of all charges.

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

Vienna, 19/07/2017

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) expressed their deep concern after it was revealed that the Polish Defense Minister filed a criminal complaint against investigative journalist Tomasz Piatek, also the author of a new book dealing with the Minister’s alleged network of “questionable Russian contacts”.

Piatek, who works for the daily Gazeta Wyborcza, potentially faces a trial before a military court, after the defense minister filed a complaint accusing the journalist of using “force or threats against a public official” as well as “public insults or humiliation of a constitutional body”. The accusations come after Piatek’s latest book was published, which deals in depth with the minister’s alleged ties with individuals close to the Kremlin, the Russian secret service as well as criminal groups.

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, 16/07/2017

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) called on authorities in Hungary to cease their recent attempts to institutionally vilify the role and actions of civil society organisations in the country.

The government of Hungary has put into action a nationwide advertising campaign consisting of billboard and television ads that disparage the role and importance of civil society organisations which protect and stand for the rights of refugees and humane immigration policies. The government behind Prime Minister Viktor Orban aims to disenfranchise non-governmental human rights organisations in the country, especially those that are aided by Hungarian-American businessman and investor George Soros.

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, 15/07/2017

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) expressed their deep concern after it was revealed that the Polish Defense Minister filed a criminal complaint against investigative journalist Tomasz Piatek, also the author of a new book dealing with the Minister’s alleged network of “questionable Russian contacts”.

Piatek, who works for the daily Gazeta Wyborcza, potentially faces a trial before a military court, after the defense minister filed a complaint accusing the journalist of using “force or threats against a public official” as well as “public insults or humiliation of a constitutional body”. The accusations come after Piatek’s latest book was published, which deals in depth with the minister’s alleged ties with individuals close to the Kremlin, the Russian secret service as well as criminal groups.

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, 15/07/2017

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) was concerned to learn that the government in Ukraine introduced two new bill proposals to the Parliament (Rada) which would require non-governmental organisations in the country to submit detailed financial reports. If accepted, law proposals 6674 and 6675 would withdraw the status of NGOs and seriously put in danger their independence and proper functioning.

In addition to the NGOs themselves, individuals and groups working with the NGOs would also have to provide similar financial evidence. If they failed to comply, both the organisations and their partners would face heavy fees, as well as potentially lose their non-profit status.

Additional, SEEMO members were informed that on 14 July the offices of Vesti media group in Kyiv had been raided, including Radio Vesti, newspaper Vesti and the web portal Vesti-ukr.com. It was later explained by the Chair of the Board of Directors Media Holding Vesti Ukraine that special police units halted all broadcasting and rounded up journalists in a single room in order to question them and search the contents of their mobile phones.

The raid, according to Vesti employees, came potentially as retaliation for a recent article investigating the Chief Military Prosecutor’s income and expenses. In early 2017, the National Council for Television and Radio Broadcasting revoked the license of the media group.

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