04/02/2008: KOSOVO – TV MITROVICA – KOSOVO

Vienna, 04/02/2008

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 calling for reconsideration of the closing of TV Mitrovica in Kosovo.

According to information before SEEMO, the Independent Media Commission in Kosovo (IMC) terminated the licence of TV Mitrovica on 1 May 2007, and, by order of the Office of the Chief Executive of the IMC, confiscated the station’s broadcasting equipment on 28 December 2007.

Nexhmedin Spahiu, owner of TV Mitrovica, indicated that the closure was related to irregularities in the range of its broadcasting signal, which is limited by regulation. According to Spahiu, past attempts to rectify the problem proved technologically unfeasible. Spahiu added that TV Mitrovica is not the only station that has been unable to fully comply with the relevant regulations.

While SEEMO encourages TV Mitrovica to comply with the IMC regulations on frequency, it urges regulators to adjust those regulations to the realities of the region. Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General, calls on IMC and TV Mitrovica to work together towards a concensus involving less drastic measures than the confiscation of broadcasting equipment and a station shut-down. The international community frowns on such excessive sanctions, which unduly undermine freedom of speech.

Vienna, 30/01/2008

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), strongly condemns the attempted murder of Goran Gavrilov, General Manager of the Stip-based Channel 77, a private radio station network with national coverage in Macedonia.

According to information before SEEMO, Gavrilov was attacked by two armed persons in the night between 25 and 26 January in front of his home in Stip, eastern Macedonia. The masked assailants shot at him, but missed, and then violently beat him with metal rods. Gavrilov was severely injured and received medical treatment in the Stip hospital. His wife, Emilija Gavrilova, believes that this attack was linked to Gavrilov’ s work with regard to media regulations and reforms during the last 16 years and may present a direct threat to Channel 77’s effort in developing media democracy in the region.

Commenting on the incident, SEEMO Secretary General, Oliver Vujovic, said “SEEMO strongly condemns the brutal attack on Gavrilov and stresses that a full investigation should be conducted by the Macedonian authorities. Every threat against a journalist in Macedonia is a threat against the fundamental principle of freedom of expression in this country. We will continue to follow this case and we hope that the police will solve it as soon as possible.”

Vienna, 23/01/2008

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), would like to express its concern regarding a draft bill on ‘the periodical press and news agencies’ in Slovakia, the so-called “press act”.

According to information before SEEMO, on 9 January 2008, during the 75th Slovak Republic government session, the Cabinet approved a new bill containing amendments to certain acts, such as the Right to Reply Act (“RRA”). While the right to a correction within eight days is taken from current law, the draft amendments state that if a person mentioned in an article sends a reply, this reply has to be published within three days, even if they provide no facts to repudiate the original article.

Moreover, the draft bill denies the editors the right to react to the reply. The bill also states that this reply must be published in the same place and be the same size as the original article.

SEEMO Secretary General, Oliver Vujovic, said that “there is a potential threat in the wording of this bill, which leaves room for politicians to manipulate the media. This could force the media into self-censorship for fear of bankruptcy. This new law has an impact on editorial independence, and could be used as a means of self-promotion for the politicians,” he added.SEEMO also warns that this law could jeopardise the right of publishers to receive commercial profit from their advertising space if the editor is forced to relinquish control of parts of his newspaper to individuals who may seek to use this legal right for their own ends.

SEEMO does, however, welcome the part of the bill that reduces maximum fines for print media and news agencies from SKK two million to SKK 200,000. This change is a welcome first step in creating a better media environment.

Nevertheless, SEEMO would like to point out that, in order for a democratic society to be maintained, a free and vigorous public debate is necessary. For that to be possible, the politicians should receive less protection in the press than ordinary citizens, and these modifications to the RRA may well hinder this accepted principle.

Vienna, 19/12/2007

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), has been informed about a lawsuit dated 6 September 2007 against Zeljko Ivanovic, founder and director of the daily Vijesti from Podgorica, Montenegro, Ljubisa Mitrovic, the editor-in-chief of Vijesti, as well as the publishing house of Vijesti.

According to the information made available to SEEMO, the civil lawsuit for defamation has been filed by Milo Djukanovic, president of the Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro (DPS). The case is based on comments Ivanovic made in reaction to an assault on him on 1 September 2007. During this attack, to which SEEMO reacted at the time, Ivanovic was beaten by three assailants. Based on the arguments of the defence attorney, Branislav Lutovac, Article 20 of the Montenegro Law on Media states that, whilst a legal action can be brought against the author of the defamatory statement and the publisher, the lawsuit against the editor-in-chief is unfounded. Another point made by Lutovac regarding the trial is that both the plaintiff and the defendants were prevented from testifying at the preliminary hearing, where basic information regarding the case would normally be collected. This is in direct violation of the Law on Legal Procedures in Montenegro.

SEEMO has also been informed by the defence that Djukanovic has demanded an unusually large sum of compensation for the alleged damage suffered, namely one million euros. Such a sum could have serious financial implications for the media company, and could force it into insolvency. This would create a worrying precedent for freedom of speech in the country.Speaking about the case, Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General, said that “according to international principles, compensation that could close media organisations is not acceptable. Such excessive sanctions exert a chilling effect, not only for the publication involved, but also for the protection of free speech.” In addition, the case law of the European Court of Human Rights has found that excessive defamation damages are a direct violation of the applicant’s rights and deemed unnecessary in a democratic society.SEEMO would like to urge the Parliament of Montenegro to introduce a regulation similar to Article 43 of the Montenegro Law on Media, which places limits on sanctions, including damages in defamation.

SEEMO will continue to follow this case and strongly believes that the law should not be used to undermine the freedom of the press by applying excessive sanctions. In democratic societies, damages in civil law should be proportionate and fair, and should not excessively penalize the media organisations or force them into insolvency.

Vienna, 23/11/2007

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), strongly condemns recent attacks on media outlets and journalists in South East Europe (SEE).

According to information before SEEMO, on 19 November 2007, the transmitter of the private TV station ALSAT-M that covers the Kumanovo region in northern Macedonia was destroyed. On the same day, in Suva Gora, the station’s electrical supply was interrupted and a driver for ALSAT-M transporting the transmitters was robbed. Significantly the building where the ALSAT-M transmitter was stored also contains the transmitters of other media, however, only the equipment of ALSAT-M was damaged. Furthermore, during the past two weeks, the signal of ALSAT-M has been periodically blocked in the regions of Tetevo, Gostivar and Kumanovo; in particular during the transmission of news. ALSAT-M has also come under pressure from state representatives during recent weeks. On 25 and 26 September, journalists and TV crew members of ALSAT-M were attacked by police. SEEMO reported about these incidents at that time.

SEEMO is also concerned about the pressure by some companies on media in Serbia. We are especially concerned about the problems faced by editors and journalists of the daily Politika in Belgrade. Based on an editorial in Politika, published on 16 November 2007, the newspaper is under pressure from representatives of the Delta Holding company. According to Politika’s editor-in-chief, Ljiljana Smajlovic, the President of Delta Holding, Miroslav Miskovic, has made several telephone calls to editors and journalists of the newspaper, criticizing them for their “lack of patriotism” and accusing the newspaper of not supporting his business empire. SEEMO believes that these calls may represent an attempt to influence the newspaper’s reporting.

In another incident, Delta Holding has threatened to use Serbia’s laws against “anybody who states anything untrue about Delta Company or their management.” Every company has, of course, the right to contest the accuracy of the reporting about its activities, but, given the fact that Delta Holding is one of the largest companies in Serbia, it must accept criticism as well as investigative news stories about its activities. The problems of attamts to influence the media in Serbia highlight the need for a voluntary and independent complaints mechanism, in order to resolve these issues.

At the same time, SEEMO condemns the fact that Cedomir Jovanovic the President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), initiated on 21 November a criminal investigation against six media representatives in Serbia. Jovanovic found the reporting of these six media unacceptable and claimed that media are supportive of commercial interests. SEEMO believes that Jovanovic must accept that journalists have the right to report critically about him.

SEEMO also condemns the latest attack on the newspaper Africa, which has for years been a target of those who are against freedom of opinion in north Cyprus. During a demonstration several days ago in front of the newspaper’s building, members of the ultra-right organization the Grey Wolves, accused Africa of being anti Turkish and the voice of the Kurdish population.

Finally, SEEMO would also like to announce that, together with the International Press Institute (IPI), it will carefully watch developments in Slovenia over the forthcoming weeks after an IPI fact finding mission visited Ljubljana on 8 and 9 November. In this connection, we are surprised that the Slovenian Prime Minister, Janzes Jansa, said on 19 November that Slovenia’s image was being tarnished from within, and singled out the petition signed by 571 journalists against governmental interference in the media as a prime example of this movement.

Commenting on these press freedom violations, SEEMO Secretary General, Oliver Vujovic, said, “SEEMO strongly condemns these attacks, as well as any government or state actions, including at the level of the police, as well as by companies and political parties that restrict the work and free movement of journalists, freedom of expression and investigative journalism”.

Vienna, 06/11/2007

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 about the worsening situation for journalists in the South Eastern European (SEE) region.

SEEMO is alarmed at the activities of the Croatian police against freedom of expression and the fact that Zeljko Peratovic, a Croatian investigative journalist and blogger, was briefly imprisoned starting on 17 October. He was later released after spending 20 hours in prison. According to the police in Zagreb, Peratovic allegedly published state secrets on his blog. The equipment and materials, including three PCs, which the police took from Peratovic during a raid on his home office, have not been returned to him.

SEEMO is also concerned about an attack against media companies in the Sandzak region of Serbia. On 7 October, TV Jedinstvo was attacked by unknown persons after airing an interview with a religious leader who is close to a local political party. The assailants demolished equipment of TV Jedinstvo and pulled a gun on the staff. They also physically attacked the editor Ramiz Etemovic. In addition, the local radio station Sto Plus was targeted at the beginning of September when the transmitters of the radio station were demolished. On 10 October, there was an explosion close to the transmitters of the same radio station on Sultenovacko brdo in the town of Novi Pazar. Radio Sto Plus is owned by the private Belgrade news agency Beta. The local media in the Sandzak region have been the victims of the conflict between two leaders of Bosniak parties.

The local authorities of Sandzak have banned access to the municipality for those journalists whose writing is described as “unfavorable”. Several journalists have said they have had problems in reporting during recent weeks. These include: Ivana Milic, correspondent of the Belgrade RTV B92 and a journalist of TV Jedinstvo, Refik Sadikovic, editor-in-chief of the religious publication Glas Islama and Enes Halilovic, correspondent of the Belgrade news agency Fonet and the daily Blic. At the same time, several Islamic religious leaders have verbally attacked several political independent media for “conspiracy against the Islamic community”.

Also in recent weeks, there have been statements against media from political representatives in Belgrade who are close to the government. The politicians cannot accept the right of journalists and media in Serbia to make critical reports about the state, and they do not accept the decisions of journalists to carry out interviews with persons who do not share the Serbian government’s point of view.

SEEMO also condemns an attack in Kosovo on 17 October, when Vesna Bojicic, correspondent of the Voice of America in Pristina, was beaten in her apartment in Caglavica by an unknown man in a black uniform. During the attack, the perpetrator criticized the reporting of Bojicic, and her “pro-Kosovo Albanian” views.

SEEMO is also critical of police officers in Moldova who, on 19 October, attacked two members of the staff of Pro TV from Chisinau, the journalist Angela Gonta and the cameraman Vlad Culiomza. This happened when the Pro TV crew was making a report about a police raid on a house in Chisinau.

Finally, on 1 November, Tufik Softic, a journalist of Radio Berane and a local correspondent of the daily Republika, was beaten by two persons and injured in front of his house in the center of Berane, a Montenegrin town. Exactly two months earlier, Zeljko Ivanovic, founder and director of the daily Vijesti from Podgorica, was physically attacked by several assailants near a restaurant, where the newspaper had celebrated its 10th anniversary. Ivanovic was injured in this attack and received medical help. One year earlier, on 24 October 2006, Jevrem Brkovic, a leading novelist in Montenegro, was attacked by masked assailants, while his driver Srdjan Vojicic was shot dead, close to the place where Ivanovic was recently attacked. Dusko Jovanovic, director of the daily Dan, was killed on the night of 27 May 2004 in front of the newspaper’s editorial office in Podgorica. His killer remains free.

Commenting on these press freedom violations, SEEMO Secretary General, Oliver Vujovic, said, “SEEMO strongly condemns these threats, as well as any government or state actions, including at the police and municipality levels, that restrict the work and movement of journalists. I am very concerned about the worsening working conditions for journalists in the SEE region. For this reason SEEMO will continue to monitor media developments in the region, especially in Croatia, Moldova, Montenegro, and Serbia”.

Vienna, 02/10/2007

IPI calls on Slovenian government to hold an independent inquiry into allegations of political pressure on the media, expresses support for petition by Slovenian journalists

The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in over 120 countries, and its affiliate, the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), have expressed their support for the “Petition Against Censorship and Political Pressures on Journalists in Slovenia”, signed by 438 journalists from the major media outlets in Slovenia and sent to the heads of state, prime ministers and parliamentary speakers of all EU member states.

The concerns outlined in the Petition correspond to the issues brought up in an IPI/SEEMO press release of 31 August.

One of the allegations mentioned in the press release was that the Slovenian government is indirectly influencing the media through its exploitation of business relationships with companies that have financial holdings in a range of media organisations. “Business relationships and share holdings should never be used by the government as leverage to induce independent media organisations to publish favourable news stories,” IPI Director Johann P. Fritz said at the time.

IPI also shares the concerns expressed in the Petition over the number of instances of censorship exercised on individual journalists who have written articles critical of the government of President Janez Janša.

Slovenia will take over the presidency of the European Union (EU) during the first half of 2008 as the first of the new member states that joined the EU on 1 May 2004. Countries that assume the EU presidency must lead by example. If the principle of editorial independence is breached, it is not only of serious concern for the media, but also for the public who rely on their information. IPI therefore calls on the Slovenian government to hold an independent inquiry into the allegations of political pressure on the media.

Three months remain until Slovenia will assume the presidency of the EU on 1 January 2008. This allows the Slovenian government enough time to set up an independent inquiry and to ensure that the executive branch of government is always held at arm’s length from the media.

If no progress is made in this direction, IPI/SEEMO will be obliged to send a high-level mission of international media representatives to Slovenia at the beginning of 2008 to investigate the situation of the media environment and put pressure on the key decision makers to ensure editorial independence.

Vienna, 02/10/2007
To:

Branko Crvenkovski
President of the Republic of Macedonia
Skopje, Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)
Fax: +389 2 3112 147

Ljubisha Georgievski
President of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia
Skopje, Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)
Fax: +389 2 3113 643

Nikola Gruevski
Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia
Skopje, Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)
Fax: +389 2 3112 561

Ms. Gordana Jankuloska
Minister of Interior of the Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)

Your Excellencies,

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 about recent physical attacks by security and police forces on journalists in Macedonia.

On 25 September, after a debate in parliament over electoral reform, Lirim Dullovi, a reporter for the private TV station A1, was assaulted by a person with the initials B.A, a security guard of the ethnic Albanian party Democratic Union for Integration (DUI).One day after this incident, Igor Ljubovcevski, a camera crew member of the private TV station ALSAT-M, was physically attacked and injured by the Macedonian police. The incident happened in the town of Tetovo after Ljubovcevski refused to hand over his video footage to the police.

During these two days camera crew members for several other TV stations were also forced to hand over their video material to the police.

SEEMO supports the initiative of those Macedonian journalists who boycotted the government press conference on 27 September out of protest against the physical attacks on their colleagues. SEEMO also welcomes the police warrant issued against B.A. for assault and battery charges in the Dullovi case and urges the authorities to investigate the police attack on Ljubovcevski.

SEEMO strongly condemns physical attacks on journalists and would like to remind Your Excellencies that an open media environment, allowing for the free work of media representatives, is a fundamental principle of any democratic society. Violence and threats, as well as other pressures on journalists, have no place in a democratic society.

We thank you for your attention.

Yours sincerely,

Oliver Vujovic

SEEMO Secretary General

Vienna, 01/10/2007

To:

Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Prime Minister
Office of the Prime Minister
Istanbul
Turkey

Fax: +90 312 417 04 76 / 417 05 73

Köksal Toptan
Speaker of the Parliament
Fax: +90 312 420 69 09

Besir Atalay
Minister of Interior
Fax: +90 312 418 12 60

Your Excellencies,

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 death of Kasim Ciftci, owner of the Hakkari Province Voice.

According to information before SEEMO, on 22 September 2007, at 12.30, eyewitnesses saw two people arguing near the ruins of old Van City, southeastern Turkey. Suddenly, the conversation turned into a fight, when the other man shot Ciftci and then left the area.

SEEMO is deeply concerned about the attack. We urge Your Excellencies to do everything in your power to investigate this case and to prevent such cases from occurring in the future. Media workers must be able to work freely.

We thank you for your attention.

Yours sincerely,

Oliver Vujovic
SEEMO Secretary General

Vienna, 03/09/2007

To:

Filip Vujanovic
President of Montenegro
By Fax: +381 81 245 849

Zeljko Sturanovic
Prime Minister of Montenegro
By Fax: +381 81 242 329

Jusuf Kalamperovic
Minister of Internal Affairs of Montengro
By Fax: +381 81 246 526

Your Excellencies,

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 at the recent attack on a director of a newspaper in Montenegro.

According to information before SEEMO, on 1 September 2007, during the early morning, Zeljko Ivanovic, founder and director of the daily Vijesti from Podgorica, was beaten by three unknown assailants near a restaurant, where the newspaper had celebrated its 10 anniversary.

SEEMO is deeply concerned about the attack. We ask Your Excellencies to ensure an immediate investigation into this case, to take all necessary legal steps to find the perpetrators, and to protect the life of Ivanovic.

We would also like to remind Your Excellencies that Dusko Jovanovic, director of the daily Dan was killed on the night of 27 May 2004 in front of the newspaper’s editorial office in Podgorica. The murderer or murderers of Jovanovic remain free. Last year, on 24 October 2006, Jevrem Brkovic, a leading novelist in Montenegro, was attacked by masked assailants, while his driver Srdjan Vojicic was shot dead, close to the place where Ivanovic was recently attacked.

We thank you for your attention.

Yours sincerely,

Oliver Vujovic

SEEMO Secretary General