01.11.2023 – Belarus Adds Journalist Pavel Padabed to List of Individuals Involved in Extremist Activities

Nenad Kulačin, the host of the Good, Bad, Evil (Dobar, Loš, Zao) podcast in Serbia, who is also a columnist for the Belgrade daily Danas, has once again become the target of threats, with the latest threat sent via social media from an anonymous account.

Kulačin has reported eight threats to the Serbian state prosecutor’s office this year, with only one decision made to dismiss a criminal complaint to date, while other cases remain under the prosecutor’s purview. Some of these threats have targeted his colleague journalist and writer Marko Vidojković and Kulačin family members. The most recent threat was received through an anonymous social media account, containing insults and references to Kulačin hometown and brother.

Threats follow a pattern of ongoing intimidation. In 2021 mother of Kulačin was verbally attacked in Bor, a town in Serbia, where an individual allegedly told he that her son should have been hanged. Some media have run smear campaigns against Kulačin. Unknown individuals even posted flyers displaying the home address of Kulačin in Belgrade, Serbia.

Nenad Kulačin and Marko Vidojković, the hosts of the satirical podcast ‘Good, Bad, Evil,’ have faced persistent threats due to their work. These threats are not limited to anonymous individuals. Both Marko Vidojković and Nenad Kulačin have been targets of threats in Serbia for many years. After a series of online death threats, Marko Vidojković and his wife were displaced in the first half of this year with support from PEN International to an unknown location outside of Serbia.

These repeated threats and the lack of action by state institutions, combined with smear campaigns and public threats by some politicians, create a hostile environment where attacks on government critics are normalized and encouraged. This situation has a severe chilling effect on free speech and independent reporting.

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) expressed deep concern about the increasing threats against Kulačin and is asking the Serbian police to react, investigate the case, and protect Kulačin, Marko Vidojković, and Kulačin family members. SEEMO calls on Serbian authorities and leading politicians in the country to condemn these threats.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non-profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.

#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech #southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo #journalist #journalistunderattack #serbia #dobarloszao #nenadkulacin #markovidojkovic #journalistattacked#SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia @KulacinNenad @LosZao

Nafiye Bal, an editor with the Kurdish-language weekly newspaper Xwebûn (https://xwebun1.org/), was subjected to a home raid and detained on 23 October 2023. Allegedly this arrest is linked to an investigation initiated in 21 cities in April 2023, based on statements provided by a witness. Bal’s detention led her to the Provincial Police Department in Diyarbakır, Türkiye / Turkey where the police investigation started. After the police questioned her, she was released on 24 October, but she got an international travel ban

Xwebûn is a Kurdish-language weekly newspaper, founded in 2019, and has a print and online edition.

The arrest of Kurdish journalists in Türkiye / Turkey is a recurring issue, often entailing trials related to alleged ties with the in Türkiye / Turkey and numerous countries forbidden and listed as a terrorist organization Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Most frequently, these journalists find themselves facing terrorism-related charges.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is monitoring this case.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non-profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.

#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech #southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo #journalist #journalistunderattack #Türkiye #Turkey #NafiyeBal #journalistdetained #journalistattacked #journalistinjail #SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia

Fuat Bulut, who works as journalist in Diyarbakır in Türkiye / Turkey, was assaulted in the evening on 21 October 2023 by two individuals during a social gathering in front of a pastry shop. Bulut sustained injuries but is not in a life-threatening condition after receiving medical treatment at Gazi Yaşargil Training and Research Hospital in Diyarbakır.

Allegedly the incident started with a lighthearted comment made by Bulut during one gathering. Later a person threatened and insulted Bulut over the phone regarding this comment. On the same night, as Bulut was leaving a pastry shop with friends, he was attacked. His ear was injured.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) strongly condemns this attack. This incident underscores the critical importance of safeguarding freedom of expression and the safety of journalists in Türkiye / Turkey. We call for a thorough investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable, emphasizing that such acts of violence against journalists must not go unpunished. Journalists must be allowed to carry out their vital work without fear of assault or intimidation, as they play a fundamental role in upholding democratic values and ensuring transparency in society. SEEMO stands in solidarity with Fuat Bulut and all journalists facing threats or violence in the pursuit of their profession.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non-profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.

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Legislative changes in Georgia are granting the National Communications Commission of Georgia the authority to regulate programs containing hate speech and obscenity. The amendments to the Broadcasting Law were adopted in October 2023.

The changes have raised concerns, particularly within the context of media freedom in the country. With the legal changes, according to critical voices, the National Communications Commission starts to control the self-regulation body.

As written in the old law, if media outlets violate Article 55(2) of the law when disseminating their products or advertising, as also disseminate content containing hate speech or calls for terrorism, this can only be responded to through a self-regulatory mechanism. According to the new regulation if Article 55(2) is violated, the person concerned has the right to appeal the decision made under the self-regulatory mechanism to the National Communications Commission of Georgia.

Critics argue that these changes suggest the government’s intentions to limit the spread of dissent, fueling concerns about freedom of expression. The amendments open the door to potential political pressure on the National Communications Commission and restrictions on free expression. According to critical voices, the new amendments increase the scope of discretionary powers of the National Communications Commission, including the control of “obscene” content. There is now a possible to appeal against the decisions of the self-regulation body, what strengthening the rights of the National Communications Commission. According to experts as the Georgian National Communications Commission is given more rights, the question of its independence is at the center of attention and amendments allow different interpretations.

The amendments come amid a broader trend of exerting control over information dissemination, increasing the risk that the government may exploit these changes to suppress media further. This development is seen as a threat to freedom of expression in Georgia. In the past year there were several legal changes connected to the broadcasting regulations. According to observers the changes were always made speedily, without sharing the opinions of experts in the field and without assessing the risks.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is monitoring the developments connected to the legal changes in Georgia.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non-profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.

#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech #southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo #journalist #journalistunderattack #georgia #SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia

The home of Özge Kar Odabaş, journalist and Eren Odabaş, manager of the Pir Sultan Abdal Kültür Derneği (PSAKD) Gazi Martyrs Cemevi (connected to the Alevis religion group) in Istanbul, Türkiye / Turkey was stormed by the police on Friday 20 October 2023 in the morning hours, who broke the security door and checked the apartment.

This incident occurred in the midst of a series of police raids on homes, all carried out without prior notification to the residents. The raids, taking place in Istanbul’s Gazi neighborhood, have sparked concerns about privacy violations. In this particular case, the couple wasn’t at home during the raid. The police entered and conducted the search without providing any explanations.

Özge Kar-Odabaş expressed her bewilderment about the raid, stating that they have no information about the reasons behind it. She revealed that they learned about simultaneous raids on many houses, including their landlord’s home nearby. The police ordered the couple to go to the Anti-Terror Branch of the Istanbul Police to address the broken door and stated they would cover the expenses. According to the couple there is no detention order against them.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemns this violation of privace and see it as attack on media freedom and calls Turkish authorities for an investigation into these case.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non-profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.

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#SEEMF2023: XVII South East Europe Media Forum (SEEMF)– 14-16 November 2023 in Tirana, Albania . Be part of the leading media event in this part of Europe with participants from more than 30 countries. Registration: info@seemf.org and info@seemo.org . SEEMF by South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Media Program SEE and the Central European Initiative (CEI) and with support of European Broadcasting Union (EBU), German News Service by Deutschen Welle (DW) and Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa), SECEPRO, II-IMC and IA. No online coverage.

#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech#southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo #tirana #albania #SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia

Russian authorities have recently detained Alsu Kurmasheva (Алсу Курмашева), an editor with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty – Радио Свобода (RFE/RL) Tatar-Bashkir Service (https://www.rferl.org/). Kurmasheva, who holds dual U.S. and Russian citizenship and resides in Prague, Czech Republic found herself in a dire situation during a private trip to Russia. She entered Russia on 20 May 2023.

After a temporary detention at Kazan airport on 2 June 2023 her U.S. and Russian passports were confiscated. Reason is failure to register her U.S. passport with Russian authorities, which resulted in a fine. This incident prevented her from leaving Russia, and since then she is waiting for the return of her passports. On 18 October 2023, her situation took a severe turn as she was detained again, this time on charges of failing to register as a foreign agent. This charge is significant, carrying a maximum prison sentence of five years. It is not helping her that she is residing in Prague with her family.

This alarming turn of events emphasizes the deteriorating press freedoms and the increasing hostility towards foreign journalists in Russia. Russia has overseen a tightening of controls on civil rights groups funded from abroad since 2012. This legislation was later extended to include media organizations, which forced journalists working in Russia to register as “foreign agents” and comply with burdensome bureaucratic requirements. This wave of repression has significantly hampered the ability of journalists to perform their professional duties freely.

Kurmasheva is the second U.S. journalist to be held by Russia. Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was arrested on espionage in March 2023.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) calls for the immediate release of Alsu Kurmasheva and express strong condemnation of these acts as blatant violations of press freedom. It is crucial to safeguard journalists’ rights to work independently and without fear of prosecution. SEEMO strongly condemns an alarming escalation of press censorship in Russia and a direct threat to the principles of democracy and freedom of the press.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non-profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.

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The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is deeply concerned about the recent arrest of Andrei Tolchyn (Андрей Толчин), 63, a former freelance journalist and activist, in Homel (Гомель), Belarus. We condemn any actions that compromise media freedom and democratic values.

Tolchyn has been charged with violating Article 361 of the Belarusian Criminal Code, specifically Part 1, which pertains to actions that could harm the national security of Belarus. This article criminalizes acts such as publicly advocating for the overthrow of the government through violent means, acts of terrorism or sabotage, and actions aimed at undermining national security or disseminating content containing such calls. Those found guilty of such offenses could face imprisonment for up to six years. When these actions involve the internet or mass media, penalties may range from four to twelve years behind bars.

Tolchyn’s arrest took place on 27 September 2023 when law enforcement authorities detained him and subsequently transferred him to a pre-trial detention center. His home was also searched, with computer equipment and digital media confiscated during the operation, with the pretext of an “extremism” investigation.

After the 2010 presidential elections, Tolchyn collaborated with independent media outlets as a videographer. He faced fines and administrative detention for his work and was arrested in 2020, along with journalist Larysa Shchyrakova (Ларыса Фёдараўна Шчыракова), while documenting demonstrations, under allegations of involvement in mass riots.

SEEMO strongly condemns this arrest and the charges against Andrei Tolchyn. We urge the Belarusian authorities to respect media freedom, release him immediately, and ensure that democratic values and human rights are upheld in the country. The protection of journalists and democratic activists is vital for the well-being of society and the region as a whole.

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non-profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.

#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech #southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo #journalist #journalistunderattack #belarus #AndreiTolchyn #homel #journalistarrested #journalistunderarrest #journalistinjail #jailedjournalist #SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia

The South East Europe Media Organization (SEEMO) wishes to express its deep concern regarding proposed legal changes in Serbia. Changes to the media laws in Serbia contradict the internationally accepted standards and recommendations

According to the proposed Law on Electronic Media, cable-operators will be required to number channels as provided by law, with the obligation that public service programs go to the first places, followed by television with a national coverage – in Serbia these are TV Pink, TV Happy, TV B92 and TV Prva.

It is acceptable to put public service media at first place in the offer of cable operators, but then the schedule of private channels should be a matter of agreement and should not be defined in the law. According to the proposal, these will be penalties for critical TV channels.

Additional, according to the same proposal, if the cable operators do not reach an agreement on the price with the mentioned private televisions with national coverage, it will be determined by the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM).

It must be clear to the Serbian authorities, that it is inappropriate for the state to establish the prices and conditions under which private television programs will be distributed as part of cable operators’ offers and this could be used to control independent cable operators.

South East Europe Media Organization (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non-profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdniestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.

#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech #southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo #journalist #journalistunderattack #serbia #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia