07/11/2014: GREECE – SEEMO CONCERNED OVER DETERIORATING PRESS FREEDOM SITUATION IN GREECE

Vienna, 07/11/2014

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is deeply concerned to hear about the recent negative developments regarding media freedom in Greece. The headquarters of Athens Voice, a weekly, have been the victim of an arson attack on 6 November 2014.

Apparently, the office was broken into, doused with flammable liquids and set on fire. No one was injured in the fire that ocurred in the city center.

Following these events, a Greek anarchist group issued a statemenet in which they took full responsibility for the crime. The group named “Black Sundays-Red Nights. Anarchist Group of Anti-Capitalist Action” stated they caused the fire to point out the long working hours, small wages, self-censorship and overall difficult situation employees of such media outlets are facing.

SEEMO and its members fully support the staff of Athens Voice and all other media that are facing threats from anarchistic or other sources. Security and protection of media freedom must be guaranteed, especially in a country with a long democratic history such as Greece. Greek authorities must set out an example and prevent further human rights violations and threats

Vienna, 28/10/2014

Local reports said that a man entered the newsroom of the headquarters of private broadcaster Klan Kosova in Pristina and repeatedly stabbed Hasimja in the head and neck as the journalist sat at his desk.

Hasimja, who suffered at least four wounds, was hospitalised and is said to be in stable condition. Other employees reportedly intervened to stop the attack and the perpetrator was apprehended immediately. The suspected motive for the attack was retaliation for a feature that Hasimja made about the attacker that left the man upset.

SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic today expressed SEEMO’s full support for Hasimja and Klan Kosova.

“SEEMO members are appalled after learning about what happened,” Vujovic said. “Attacks such as this are a serious violation of press freedom and cannot be tolerated in the slightest. We are glad to hear that the person responsible was immediately arrested and we expect that he will be prosecuted as soon as possible. In the meantime, we wish Mr. Hasimja a speedy recovery.

“Such attacks violate media freedom rights and represent a major setback for democracy. This is an attempted murder case and I am shocked that it happened. Everything possible must be done to prevent something like this from happening again and both media outlets and society have to take more care to protect the safety of journalists.”

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

Vienna, 29/09/2014

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) was alarmed to learn about last night’s attack on the house of journalist Oliver Zhezhov. Zhezhov, who works as news editor for TV Star channel in the region Stip, Republic for Macedonnia / FYROM, reported to the police that someone threw stones at here appartment around 23:00 that evening.

The journalist stated that she would rather not assume any reasons for the attack, but suspects that it is related to his reports.

„I am calling on authorities in Skopje to investigate the attack and find the perpetrators. This was clearly a very negative message to both the journalist and the TV station, and it cultivates fear in the press. Free work of journalists must be accepted, promoted and supported by state authorities, and all forms of attacks on journalists must be investigated ” SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic has stated.

Vienna, 29/09/2014

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), is concerned to learn about the new hacker attacks on the Serbian website pescanik.net.

The attacks are connected to an article which claims that a high level Serbian politician plagiarized his doctoral thesis. This was the second attack on Pescanik web, since the website was previously attacked in June this year regarding the same subject.

The persons responsible for the first attack have not yet been found, even though the case is still being formally investigated.

SEEMO is reminding Serbian authorities that freedom of speech are values that every democratic country must uphold. Journalists and their outlets must be allowed to work freely and without the threat of censorship.

“ I would personally like to express my great concern, and to offer our support to Pescanik and all other websites were attacked in the past months in Serbia. The perpetrators of these attacks must be brought to justice and punished as soon as possible. Such attacks are not only dangerous for journalists and media, but also the society. Critical voices must not be pressured or forcefully censored.” SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic stated.

Vienna, 29/09/2014

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is concerned over media freedom developments in Serbia

TV channel B 92 announced recently that the political talk show Utisak Nedelje will be postponed until further notice, due to failed negotiations with the show’s host, Olja Beckovic. The clash between the management of the TV station, the author began when Beckovic received a short notice suggestion to move her show from the B92 national frequency to B92 Info, a cable channel covering only 60 percent of the country’s territory.

The host has rejected this offer, calling it a political order, and adding that the show has not been postponed, but actually banned.

Both Beckovic and the editor in chief of B92’s informative program Veran Matic have opposed the transfer, calling it a degradation of the show’s long history and reputation.

SEEMO also condemns hooligan attack on the building of RTV B92. Some 30 hooligans attacked on Sunday, 28 September, the B92 building and the police securing B92, after RTV B92 reported during the day from the Belgrade Pride, Serbia’s LGBT march

Another incident occurred during Serbia’s LGBT Pride march, when a reporter was hit by a stone. Dusan Milenkovic from Blic newspaper was hit on the head by a stone thrown from by a group of hooligans who were protesting the Parade.

SEEMO is deeply concerned at these new developments in Serbia that clearly signalize a deterioration of press freedom rights. “I am quite concerned at these new incidents in Serbia. The atmosphere in which journalists are working seems to be dangerous, both in a verbal and physical way. All pressures on media journalists must be revoked and prevented from happening in the future, for the sake of both human and media rights” SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic has stated.

Vienna, 23/09/2014

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), is very concerned at the growing number of both media freedom and human rights violations in Turkey.

On 23 September, journalist Erol Özkoray got a suspended sentence of 11 months and 20 days in prison for using banners, graffitti and slogans made during Gezi protests in his book „Individualization and Democracy: The Gezi Phenomenon“.

Özkoray was accused of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the book about last year’s massive anti-government protests. The execution of the sentence has been postponed for five years by the court.

„SEEMO members are appaled at the repetitive practice of Turkish authorities to chastise writers and journalists who’s work dissatisfies them“ Secretary General Oliver Vujovic said. „This repressive practice is creating a completely undemocratic atmosphere in Turkey, and I am calling on Turkish officials and international human rights organisations to help put a stop on these violations immediately.“

Vienna, 19/09/2014

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) stated its concern with the number of journalists attacked in Serbia over the last six years, with eighteen incidents happening in 2014 alone.

Since 2008, over 350 media workers have been attacked either verbally and through threats, or through physical attacks.

The Independent Journalist Association of Serbia (NUNS) presented an electronic database containing details of attacks on journalists, in an effort to appeal to the authorities and the public. Over the past two decades, many cases of threats, attacks and even murders of journalists have not been solved in Serbia.

SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic expressed full support for this project. “SEEMO welcomes the engagement of Serbian journalistic institutions in bringing awareness to the public, regarding the issue of attacks and threats. Media in Serbia often work in an atmosphere while fearing retaliation for what they publish. Attacks on journalist’s are a sign of unfulfilled democratic development, and authorities must take a more serious approach in resolving these cases. It is of utter importance both for the public and the journalistic profession in Serbia.”

Vienna, 19/09/2014

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is once again expressing its deep concerns over this month’s threats journalists in Kosovo have been receiving.

After Visar Duriqi, a Kosovar journalist who was threatened in early September, a new case of verbal threats occurred against a media worker.

His colleague Artan Haraqija, an Indeksonline journalist received a series of death threats after a joint report the two made about radical Muslim groups in Kosovo. After appearing on a KTV show, Haraqija was threatened, which he immediately reported to the police.

SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic expressed his dissatisfaction with the media freedom situation in Kosovo: “We have called on authorities in Kosovo, and now we are asking them once again to protect investigative journalists, and find the perpetrators behind these threats. It is necessary for media workers in Kosovo to act and speak freely, without fearing for their lives on a daily basis”, Vujovic said.

Vienna, 17/09/2014

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), condemns threats made against Ziarul de Garda, a Moldovan newspaper.

The paper allegedly received threats after publishing investigative stories about the head of Moldova’s Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Vladimir. After publishing the stories on 4 and 11 September, the newspaper was threatened by phone.

SEEMO asks Moldovan authorities to react and investigate the threats Ziarul de Garda received. Newspapers and investigative journalists must have a free, safe environment for work within their own country. SEEMO believes that verbal threats are not the way to express dissatisfaction with media coverage.

Vienna, 16/09/2014

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East Europe, is expressing its deep concern regarding two new articles on the subject of internet laws, that were adopted on 10 September 2014 in Turkey.

The new measures give Turkish authorities a wide range of powers regarding user’s internet activity data, blocking webpages and surveiling internet users. This legislative bill is provoding the government-appointed regulatory body TIB with even more power.

The new legislature comes after several existing violations of user privacy in Turkey, as well as blocking YouTube, Twitter and other popular platforms.

Prosecutors and courts in Turkey have begun charging journalists with „tresspassing on private property“ and „property damage“, in addition to previous charges of insult, breach of confidentiality and propaganda against the government.

„The new measures are a fundamental threat to Internet users in Turkey, but also journalists and all others“ SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic said. „Freedom of expression and access to information are elementary human rights that must be respected by all, and especially by authorities. I urge Turkish institutions to revoke this bill“ he added.