CALL FOR APPLICATIONS 2023
“Investigative reporting in times of crises”
more: https://seemo.org/cei-award-2023
#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech#southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo#journalist #journalism #investigativejournalism #investigativereporting #SEEMO #pressfreedom#mediafreedom #freemedia
On 22 June 2023, Duman Mukhammedkarim (Думан Мұхаммедкәрім), a Kazakh journalist, has been sent to a new pretrial detention for at least two months following the completion of a 25-day jail term for violating public gathering regulations. Instead of being released as expected, he now faces charges of financing extremism (article 258 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan) and involvement in the activities of a banned group.
Mukhammedkarim’s lawyer has expressed concerns about his client’s health, citing kidney problems resulting from a recent hunger strike protesting his arrest. If convicted, the journalist could face up to 12 years in prison.
#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech#southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo #journalist #journalistunderattack #kazakhstan #DumanMukhammedkarim #journalistattacked #journalist #journalistinjail #journalistarrested #jailedjournalist #SEEMO #pressfreedom#mediafreedom #freemedia
In the latest ruling by a court in Moscow, Russia, on Thursday 22 June 2023, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich lost his appeal against the extension of his pre-trial detention. Gershkovich will remain in a prison in Russia until at least 30 August 2023. The extension of his detention was granted last month following a request from the Federal Security Service (FSB), and Gershkovich’s lawyers appealed the decision.
Gershkovich, born 1991, was arrested by the Russian authorities on 29 March 2023 on false espionage charges. The journalist, accredited by Russia’s Foreign Ministry, was detained by FSB agents during a reporting trip to Yekaterinburg (Екатеринбу́рг), Russia after he entered a restaurant in Yekaterinburg.
Gershkovich’s case has attracted international attention, as his arrest marked the first detention of an US reporter in Russia on spying allegations since the end of the Cold War.
#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech#southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo #journalist #journalistunderattack #russia #evangershkovich #wallstreetjournal #moscow #journalistattacked #journalist #journalistinjail #journalistarrested #jailedjournalist #SEEMO #pressfreedom#mediafreedom #freemedia
As announced on 22 June, the public prosecutor’s office in Graz, Austria in an agreement with the Ministry of Justice, intervened and instructed the public prosecutor’s office in Klagenfurt, Austria, to discontinue the proceedings against Austrian journalist Franz Miklautz.
Franz Miklautz, a long year investigative journalist, operates the local investigative news site Mediapartizan in the state of Carinthia, Austria, and is author of the independent and critical magazine Falter from Vienna.
Miklautz had become the focus of the public prosecutor’s office in Klagenfurt because of his investigative research into salaries and overtime payments by the local authorities in Klagenfurt, Austria. He was accused of contributing to the violation of official secrecy, and his mobile phone and laptop were seized. The leaked data, obtained from an internal whistleblowers, formed the basis of Miklautz’s report.
On 13 June 2023, the prosecutor in Klagenfurt ordered the confiscation of Miklautz’s mobile phones, laptop, and other internet-capable devices to gather evidence related to the suspected crimes and identify potential accomplices.
Now the criminal investigations against Miklautz have been dropped. Steps made by the public prosecutor’s office in Klagenfurt against the journalist were a serious violations of press freedom.
#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech#southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo #journalist #journalistunderattack #austria #Carinthia #Klagenfurt #Graz #journalistattacked #journalist #journalistassaulted #SEEMO #pressfreedom#mediafreedom #freemedia
Columnist working for TV N1 from Serbia Ljubodrag Stojadinović faced a verbal assault on 19 June 2023 in Sopot, Serbia, when an unknown individual approached him aggressively, accusing him of working for an enemy organization and labeling him as a “traitor, enemy, and foreign mercenary.”
Stojadinović told N1 that the incident occurred at the local post office in Sopot, while he was waiting with other people.
An unknown person told him: “I know who you are, you have strayed dangerously. You are an enemy, working for an enemy organization, and you were discharged from the military.” Stojadinović described the older man as arrogant and aggressive.
According to Stojadinović, while he was sending a package, the individual, continued with aggressive insults, mentioning that his children live abroad and criticizing his views on Serbia. Stojadinović stated that he does not require protection and he has not reported the incident to the police nor does he plan to do so.
Although he does not feel threatened, Stojadinović emphasized that it is an unpleasant feeling when one cannot freely move around.
Stojadinović works like a journalist since 1968 and was also professional soldier between 1970 and 1995. After a public conflict with the political and military leadership by the decision of the military disciplinary court from March 1995, he was punished by losing his service in the rank of colonel.
#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech#southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo #journalist #journalistunderattack #serbia #N1 #ljubodragstojadinovic #journalistattacked #journalist #journalistassaulted #SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia
On Sunday 18 June 2023 two individuals have been arrested and placed in custody following the assault on journalist Sinan Aygül on 17 June 2023 in Tatvan, Bitlis, Turkey. The arrests occurred after the emergence of security camera footage capturing the attack, which took place the day prior.
Aygül, visibly shaken, informed the public that he was being taken to Tatvan State Hospital for medical treatment. According to his Twitter information, security guards employed by the mayor of Tatvan, physically attacked him
Aygül, who leads the Bitlis Journalists Association, is known for his frequent reporting on corruption and irregularities in this part of Turkey. He has faced multiple legal proceedings due to his journalistic work.
A local court sentenced Aygül on 28 February this year to 10 months in prison for allegedly spreading disinformation. Till today over 130 criminal investigations have been launched against him in connection with his journalism work.
#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech#southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo #journalist #journalistunderattack #turkey #SinanAygül #BitlisJournalistsAssociation #journalistattacked #journalist #journalistassaulted #SEEMO #pressfreedom#mediafreedom #freemedia
#SEEMF2023: XVII South East Europe Media Forum (SEEMF)– 14-15 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
Media crews from Pristina, Kosovo, faced another brutal assault on Friday 16 June 2023, while covering protests in Leposavić/ Leposaviq in Kosovo. The protest happened during the visit of the Minister of Administration and Local Government of Kosovo, Elbert Krasniqi, to the new named mayor of the Municipality of Leposavić / Leposaviq. The local Serbian community, that boycotted the last election, is not accepting the new named mayor and is since weeks protesting against the authorities in Pristina.
Protesters hurled stones at media teams from Tëvë1, Arbresh.info, RTV Dukagjini, RTK, Klan Kosova and Indeks Online.
Bardh Bekteshi, a cameraman from the public service media (PSM) Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK), was subjected to a physical attack, as captured in distressing footage shared by a colleague who was present at the scene. Bekteshi was injured. In addition to the assault, Bekteshi’s camera was destroyed. Venera Xhoxhaj, a journalist working for RTK, verified the incident in her statement to the Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK). Also attacked and injured were Qendresa Sinani, working for Klan Kosova, Laura Kerolli, and the cameraman, Ardijan Shala working for Indeks Online, Dorentina Thaqi working for RTV Dukagjini, Pleurat Salihut working for Arbresh.info and Albin Rrahmani from Tëvë1.
Additional the protesters took the personal phones from several journalists.
SEEMO urgently calls on the local population in Leposavić /Leposaviq, local authorities, all those responsible for security in the northern municipalities of Kosovo, Kosovo Police, Kosovo Force (KFOR), European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) and all other international authorities to ensure the safety of journalists and other media staff reporting in Kosovo.
#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech#southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo #journalist #journalistunderattack #kosovo #RTK #BardhBekteshi #Tëvë1 #RTVDukagjini #KlanKosova #KTV #journalistattacked #journalist #journalistassaulted #SEEMO #pressfreedom#mediafreedom #freemedia
Teodora Ćurčić is an investigative journalist in the Center for Investigative Journalism of Serbia. Throughout the years, she specialized in working with large datasets and data visualization. She is currently in charge of the CINS multimedia strategic framework, oriented towards innovation. Additionally, she is delivering workshops for journalists in the field of advanced Internet search, and databases, working with large datasets and data visualizations. Teodora won the annual Marina Kovačev Award for the best young investigative journalist in 2022.
1.What are the key principles and ethics that guide you as an investigative journalist in your work?
The three most important questions I ask myself when working on a story are:
1. Is this relevant to the citizens of Serbia?
2. Can I prove it?
3. Is my reporting going to jeopardize someone?
I need a positive answer for the first two. The third one has to be negative. That doesn’t mean we won’t do the story, but we have to find another way to report. Of course, there are other. These are just the starting point.
2.How do you, as an investigative journalist, gather and verify information to ensure accuracy and credibility?
There are several ways, and we combine all of them. We gather documents, talk with experts, sources from institutions (on the record and off the record), and interview citizens who are damaged. We always have to confirm our information, and it is important not to rely just on one source.
3.Why did you choose to work at CINS? CINS is one of the media outlets that has been heavily criticized and attacked by the ruling structures in Serbia.
That is true, but CINS is also a media outlet committed to investigative journalism according to the highest professional standards. As a young journalist, I got the chance to work with some of the best journalists in the country. I think it is priceless. It is not easy all the time, but I am always proud of the things we do.
4.What challenges do you often face when uncovering sensitive or controversial stories?
It depends on the topic. First of all, obtaining documents is becoming more difficult. Institutions are often not responding to FOIA requests, and our sources working there are scared to talk. Also, talking with experts is not easy. We are working on specific topics where there aren’t many experts, and some of them don’t want to criticize publicly. Even after overcoming these obstacles, we are facing smear campaigns in tabloids or even by public officials.
5.What role does whistleblowing play in investigative journalism, and how does it impact the process of exposing corruption or wrongdoing?
Whistleblowers, as well as private sources, are really important to investigative journalists, but to society as well. In some areas, they are the only ones able to prove wrongdoings, breaking the law, or misuse of public money.
6.How do you, as an investigative journalist, protect yourself and your sources from potential retaliation or legal consequences?
We are taking the matter of security very seriously. We use encrypted messaging, never talk about our investigations in progress with other people, and consults experts (lawyers, and experts in digital and physical security) when needed.
7.In the age of digital media and online platforms, how has investigative journalism adapted to address new challenges and opportunities?
I am proud of the way our newsroom is adapting to new technologies. We are working on storytelling through narrative stories, original photos from the field, different video formats, interactive graphs, and maps, and communicating all of these on social media. Our core – important investigative stories – stays the same, but our ways to tell them to our audience adapt.
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CALL FOR APPLICATIONS 2023
“Investigative reporting in times of crises”
more: https://seemo.org/cei-award-2023
#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech#southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo#journalist #journalism #investigativejournalism #investigativereporting #SEEMO #pressfreedom#mediafreedom #freemedia