04/04/2008: ROMANIA – POLICE DETENTION OF RAZVAN MARTIN – ROMANIA

Vienna, 04/04/2008

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), criticizes the recent police detention of Razvan Martin, program coordinator for the Press Monitoring Agency in Romania.

According to information before SEEMO, on 2 April 2008, Razvan Martin received a phone call from anti-globalisation protesters in Bucharest, who stated that the warehouse in which they were gathered for a workshop had been surrounded by the police and the Special Intervention Service. Martin notified the media about this development and arrived at the scene one hour later, when the police were already removing the detainees. Martin and his colleagues, who were on their way to a police station in order to secure legal assistance for the protestors, asked one of the policemen for directions. A policeman then used the car of both to take them to a different station for questioning. Martin notified the media of this from the car. He was never officially told that he was being detained, but was taken in for questioning like others in the area, and was released one and a half hours later, after announcing that he had a lawyer.

“Razvan Martin was at the scene as a Monitoring Agency coordinator and observer, and the police should have treated him as such,” stated Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General. “The fact that he was not a member of the group of protesters at the time further confirms this. Special security steps and checks were expected because of the NATO summit that started on 2 April in Bucharest. However, even in these situations, the police must respect the free movement of media representatives and organisations”.

“SEEMO deplores the fact that a member of the staff of the Media Monitoring Agency was constrained by the police, especially since he did not take part in the protest, but was merely an onlooker. All individuals have the right to express their opinions in a peaceful way, and the government must support this right, not interfere with it,” Vujovic added.

Vienna, 01/04/2008

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), remains concerned about pending legal changes to Slovakia’s media law.

According to information before SEEMO, Slovakia’s parliamentary Committee for Culture and the Media on 26 March 2008 recommended that the parliament approve the government’s latest draft of the Press Act. SEEMO, which issued a statement regarding the initial version of the Draft Press Act on 23 January 2008, is disappointed that recommendations regarding limitations on the right of reply made by local Slovak media organisations, international non-governmental organizations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have not been incorporated into the amendments. The obligations prescribed in Sections 7, 8, and 9 of the Press Act fail to conform to the standards articulated by the Council of Europe, would grant politicians limitless access to publicity, and would seriously restrict media independence and editorial autonomy.

SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic commented, “while I welcome the changes made to previous versions of the law, these simply are not sufficiently far-reaching. The government’s refusal to exclude some of the heavily-criticised provisions suggests that the law’s real aim is to control Slovakian journalists. I hope Slovakia’s parliamentarians will do their part to ensure that the final version of this law is more compatible with international standards and recommendations”.

Mr. Vujovic also expressed support for the recent initiative by all five Slovak national dailies, both quality and tabloid, to run blank front pages in protest against the law, noting that the action underscored the need for further amendments to the pending legislation.

Vienna, 27/03/2008

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), joins the Croatian Journalists Association in its support for Zeljko Peratovic, freelance journalist and blogger, in his civil petition passed on 14 March 2008 to the Committee for Internal Politics and National Security and the Council for Civil Supervision of Intelligence Agencies in Croatia. In the petition, Peratovic is asking the authorities to protect his professional rights and freedoms and to cease the pressure to which the Security Intelligence Agency has exposed him to over the past few years.

Zeljko Peratovic was imprisoned on 17 October 2007. He was later released after spending 20 hours in police custody. SEEMO reacted to this case on 6 November 2007 with a protest to Croatian officials. According to the authorities in Zagreb at the time, Peratovic had allegedly published state secrets on his blog. The police confiscated his equipment and materials, including three PCs.

SEEMO Secretary General, Oliver Vujovic, said, “Journalists should have the freedom to express themselves and do their job without pressure from State authorities, regardless of the media they work in. Freedom of expression is not only guaranteed by law, but is also the foundation for the democratic development of society. Journalists play an important role in any society by holding others accountable for their actions, and it makes no difference if they carry out this job using new media, such as blogs, or work in the traditional forms.”

Vienna, 27/03/2008

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute, strongly criticises recent comments made by the Prime Minister of Albania, Sali Berisha, against journalists.

According to information before SEEMO, on 18 March 2008, Berisha insulted journalists during a government meeting that was not only carried out in front of reporters, but also broadcast live on television. The Prime Minister was commenting on coverage of an explosion that occurred in Gerdec, near Tirana, on 15 March 2008, and repeatedly insulted journalists reporting on this matter.

“We deeply criticise these events and this manner of communication,” said SEEMO Secretary General, Oliver Vujovic, “particularly when it is carried out by public authorities.” Vujovic continued, “SEEMO calls for and strongly supports the maintenance of a respectful environment for journalists and media in Albania, as in every other country, as such an environment is the cornerstone of a true democracy.”

Vienna, 27/03/2008

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI) is deeply concerned by the recent death threats against Momcilo Djorgovic, editor-in-chief of the Serbian weekly Nedeljni Telegraf, and Danijela Milinkovic, assitant to the editor-in-chief.

According to information made available to SEEMO, on 24 March, a letter signed by the “red berets” arrived at the editorial office of the weekly. The “red berets” are the former Special Forces Corps of Serbia. According to the official press release issued by the Nedeljni Telegraf, the letter contained, besides many insults, threats adressed to Djorgovic and Milinkovic warning them to “take care that a bullet is not put through their heads,” or that “they will be blown up.” The editorial office informed the police of the threats.

Commenting on the incident, SEEMO Secretary General, Oliver Vujovic, said, “SEEMO strongly condemns all threats against journalists as a violation of the fundamental principle of freedom of expression. I would like to urge an immediate and through investigation by the Serbian authorities.”

Vienna, 19/03/2008

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 deeply concerned about the recent death threats against the Croatian journalist Vedran Strukar.

According to information made available to SEEMO, on 10 March, Strukar who is a journalist of the leading media company Europe Press Holding, received several SMS and phone calls expressing death threats. Strukar informed the police about the threats addressed to him and his family members. The threats are probably related on the article written by Strukar, sources said.

Commenting on the incident, SEEMO Secretary General, Oliver Vujovic, said “SEEMO strongly condemns all threats against journalists as a violation of the fundamental principle of freedom of expression. I would like to urge an immediate and through investigation by the Croatian authorities”.

Vienna, 14/03/2008

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), condemns the assault carried out by Member of Parliament (MP) Tom Doshi against Besar Likmeta, the Albania editor for the online publication Balkan Insight.

According to information received from The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN), Likmeta had been working on a series of articles, published on Balkan Insight, concerning forged diplomas in Albania. The investigated degrees included MP Tom Doshi’s law degree from Tetovo University, an Albanian language university in The Republic of Macedonia (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia). At the time, Doshi was still listing the degree on the official parliamentary website. The investigative reporting uncovered that Tetovo University had informed the Education Ministry that Doshi never completed his studies.

Soon thereafter, Doshi’s CV was removed from the website of the Albanian parliament, and Likmeta arranged to meet Doshi at the Sheraton Hotel in Tirana in the late evening of March 10 for an interview. During the interview, Doshi demanded why Likmeta was investigating the story, commenting that it was “extremely brave” to pursue the matter. MP Arben Isaraj, who accompanied Doshi to the interview, asked Likmeta if he was “out of touch with reality”. Doshi then attacked Likmeta, hitting him with a leather briefcase. The journalist sustained a black eye and his glasses were broken. When Likmeta tried to take statements from nearby witnesses after the assault, the hotel barman ordered him to leave.

SEEMO deplores this disturbing incident, and calls for a full investigation of the matter.

“Physical violence against journalists is never acceptable, but is particularly deplorable when carried out by a public official,” said Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General. “Investigative journalists play a vital role in uncovering political malfeasance, and must be protected, not hindered, by states.”

Vienna, 28/02/2008

To: Vojislav Kostunica,

Prime Minister of Serbia

Vojislav Kostunica
Prime Minister of Serbia
Nemanjina 11
Belgrade
Serbia

Fax: +381 11 3617 609

Your Excellency,

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 the recent wave of violent attacks on journalists in Serbia.

According to information before SEEMO, journalists reporting on the protest “Kosovo je Srbija”, held on 21 February 2008 as a reaction to Kosovo’s proclamation of independence, were subjected to serious physical attacks. A photojournalist from Holland’s NRC Handelsblad, Dirk-Jan Visser, sustained broken ribs, while two Russian journalists from Russia Today, an English-language TV station, also suffered physical injuries. In addition, the crew of Radio Televizija Srbije (RTS) was attacked during a separate protest.

In the meantime, Serbian radio and television station B92 has received written threats ever since Kosovo’s declaration of independence, including a montage video, posted on YouTube, which juxtaposed images of guns firing with footage of B92 anchors. On 20 February, B92 received a bomb threat by e-mail, forcing the staff’s evacuation. The following day, protesters surrounded the B92 building at 6pm, trapping the staff inside until well after midnight. Thankfully, police officers managed to prevent attacks on the building.

Moreover, according to information before SEEMO, on 25 February 2008, Milica Ivanovic, a journalist for Beta news agency and the newspaper Blic, was attacked while reporting on the unrest at the Mutivoda crossing between Serbia and Kosovo. When the journalist asked for protection from police officers standing nearby, her request was refused. According to reports, a B92 cameraman who was also present avoided harm by removing the station’s logo from his camera after hearing members of the crowd asking about the B92 crew.

SEEMO strongly condemns these repeated and targeted attacks on journalists in Serbia, as well as the failure of the police force to adequately protect them. Journalists must never become targets, regardless of their reporting style or their background. Furthermore, any attacks must carry consequences and be fully investigated. We urge Your Excellency to do everything in your power to provide a secure environment for journalists, and to remind all involved of the importance of the media’s freedom to report on current events, which ensures the Serbian people’s right to information, and is a crucial element in a free democracy.

We thank you for your attention.

Yours sincerely,

Oliver Vujovic

SEEMO Secretary General

Vienna, 28/02/2008

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), appeals to Montenegrian ex-president and former prime minister Milo Djukanovic to drop his one million Euro lawsuit against Vijesti, Montenegro’s leadingnewspaper.

SEEMO first spoke out against the lawsuit when, on 6 September 2007, Milo Djukanovic pressed defamation charges against Zeljko Ivanovic, founder and director ofVijesti, a Podgorica-based daily, Ljubisa Mitrovic, the publication’s editor-in-chief, as well as its publishing house, “Daily Press”. Djukanovic is expected to return to the prime minister post.

SEEMO encourages Djukanovic to seize the opportunity provided by his new mandate by dropping all charges against the publication as a sign of good will. Such a move would constitute a first positive step, and serve as a signal that the government permits and even encourages freedom of speech, a vital aspect of true democracies.

Vienna, 20/02/2008

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 by the recent death threat against Croatian journalist Drago Hedl.

According to information before SEEMO, on 12 February 2008, Drago Hedl, editor of the Croatian weekly Feral Tribune, received a death threat by way of a letter sent to his home address. Hedl has actively investigated war crimes committed against civilians in the eastern city of Osijek in 1991. Several other individuals involved in the trial for war crimes over the civilian deaths received the same letter, which contained warnings and a drawing of a scull.

SEEMO is deeply concerned about this occurrence, especially because Hedl’s life has been threatened repeatedly in the past. Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General, said that “investigative journalists are an important link for democratic societies and should thus receive full support and protection from the state. We urge the authorities to take these threats seriously and to do everything in their power to resolve the situation and protect Hedl.”

SEEMO would also like to emphasize that these intimidations not only threaten the lives of individual journalists, but also impinge on the public’s right to be informed and the principle of freedom of expression more generally. No democratic society can accept threats that impose self-censorship on journalists fearing for their lives. SEEMO will continue to monitor the situation, and urges the Croatian authorities to expeditiously investigate this case and ensure Hedl’s protection.