15.06.2023 – Kazakh Journalist and Politican who was on Hunger Strike Potentially Facing 12 Years in Prison

Duman Mukhammedkarim (Думан Мұхаммедкәрім), a Kazakh journalist and politican from Almaty (former Alma-Ata), the largest city in Kazakhstan, has been on a hunger strike till 12 June 2023 in protest against his 25-day jail term. He now faces additional charges of financing an extremist organisation, which carries a prison sentence of maximum 12 years.

Mukhammedkarim is also a failed candidate for parliament and he wanted to protest the results. He was cleared as a candidate in the March 2023 elections to the parliament after protesting his early banning as candidate.

Mukhammedkarim served previously 25 days in jail and was again detained on 1 May 2023 and sentenced again to 25 days in jail on a charge of violating regulations on public rallies. This happened after a video he published on his YouTube channel.

Mukhammedkarim’s father, Almaz Tilepov (Алмаз Тілепов), joined the hunger strike in solidarity, but had to stop due to health reasons.

Human rights watchdogs have condemned Kazakhstan’s authorities for their persecution of dissents and critical persons, although the government denies the existence of political prisoners in the country.

Kazakhstan was under the authoritarian rule of Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev (Нұрсұлтан Әбішұлы Назарбаев) from December 1991 until March 2019 when President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev (Kassym-Jomart Tokayev / Қасым-Жомарт Тоқаев) took over. Toqaev, who gained expanded powers following antigovernment demonstrations in January 2022, has pledged political reforms and increased freedoms. However, many Kazakhstanis view these reforms as superficial. Over the past three decades, opposition figures in the country have been killed, imprisoned, or forced to flee. Only few existing critical media in the country are under great pressure. Most media are state controlled and under influence from Moscow. Different laws restrict media freedom.

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Siniša Vukelić, the editor-in-chief of Capital.ba portal, was invited on Thursday 8 May 2023 to the Police Directorate in Banja Luka, Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina, to give a statement regarding a criminal complaint filed by a company representative, who is also a local politician. He accused the web page Capital of publishing a audio-document from a phone call in which he used chauvinist words and swear words against Vukelić and journalist Bojana Ninković. Ninković officially presented herself as a journalist working for Capital.ba.

Vukelić, after being questioned, stated that he gave his statement as a witness and considered the criminal complaint to be baseless. He expressed hope that the prosecutor would dismiss it, as he believed it was inappropriate for the state to allocate resources and money to such cases in democratic countries.

Vukelić found it intriguing that this case resurfaced when discussions on amendments to the Criminal Code of Republika Srpska (RS) were ongoing, which aimed to criminalize defamation. Although uncertain about a direct connection between the case and the legal changes, Vukelić highlighted the timing as interesting.

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On Sunday 11 June 2023 it has been 22 years since the tragic and unsolved murder of journalist Milan Pantić in Serbia.

Journalist Milan Pantić, born 1954, from Jagodina, Serbia, was working as a correspondent for Večernje novosti daily in the Pomoravlje region in Serbia. He reported on criminal scandals and corruption. He was killed on 11 June 2001, at the entrance of his home in Branko Radičević Street in Jagodina. Despite the relentless efforts and evidence gathered by the Commission for Investigating the Killings of Journalists, and the long-standing appeals from the media community, the Prosecution for Organized Crime has yet to file charges for this crime.

His work brought to the forefront issues that others dared not tackle, including the controversial privatization of a local company and corruption in the police. Pantić was killed before the privatization of the local company was completed.

Crucial aspects of the investigation were overlooked initially. Potential witnesses were deliberately not questioned, Pantić’s mobile phone was left unexamined, and his articles in the months leading up to the murder were not analyzed for possible motives. The lack of cooperation from authorities has hindered progress, raising doubts about the commitment to solving the case.

After 22 years of Milan Pantić’s tragic death, the Serbian officials must finally solve the case. Serbia is a country with many unsolved cases of attacks on journalists and journalists who receive threats. Persons who killed journalists in Serbia or ordered the killing are still not punished.

The list of cases where the public is still waiting for results of investigations or closed court cases connected to threats, killing or attacks on journalists is long, like killing of Slavko Ćuruvije and Dada Vujasinović , physical attack on Željko Matorčević or bomb attack in front of the window of the apartment were journalist Dejan Anastasijević lived or the case of Vladimir Mitrić from Loznice, who lives now for 17 godina with a daily police protection. It is imperative to uncover the truth, hold the perpetrators accountable, and safeguard the freedom of the press.

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On 7 May 2023 during a Democratic Party (DP) meeting in Tirana, Albania, as https://safejournalists.net/ is reporting, journalists from various media outlets were harassed and prevented from reporting by individuals allegedly supporting former Democratic Party (DP) Chairman. The journalists, including Ardit Hoxha (EuroNews), Rizai (Syri Tv), Osman Stafa (News 24), Andon Kello (MCN), and Isa Myzyraj (Ora News), were verbally attacked, and threatened.
According to journalist Isa Myzyraj’s Facebook post, supporters of former Chairman of the Democratic Party, verbally abused and insulted opposition members within the party. The threats against journalists persisted during the meeting, with a group demanding that cameras be turned off and no recording take place. Journalist Osman Stafa confirmed that individuals supporting former Chairman resorted to verbal violence, threats, insults, and even attempted physical violence against journalists near the Democratic Party headquarters.
These incidents raise concerns not only for press freedom but also for the safety of journalists. SEEMO urges the Democratic Party (DP) to publicly disassociate itself from the incident, denounce the behavior of its supporters, and implement measures to safeguard the well-being and liberty of journalists.

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CALL FOR APPLICATIONS 2023

“Investigative reporting in times of crises”

more: https://seemo.org/cei-award-2023

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#SEEMF2023: XVII South East Europe Media Forum (SEEMF)– 15-17 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.

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Istria Media Days 15-18 October 2023, Vrsar, Istria, Croatia – for professors and students (media, communication, political science, public diplomacy, journalism.

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The First Basic Court in Belgrade has handed down a suspended sentence of eight months in prison to one individual, who was charged with assaulting reporter Marko Dragoslavić from FoNet news agency, Belgrade, Serbia on 7 March 2023.

Danijela Nestorović, the lawyer representing the assaulted journalist, stated that the judges have finally recognized the importance of putting an end to violence and attacks against journalists. She announced that a civil lawsuit will be filed against the assailant to seek compensation for damages.

On 7 March 2023, reporter Marko Dragoslavić from FoNet was assaulted in Takovska Street in Belgrade while covering the “Students for Kosovo” rally. The assailant approached him from behind, pulled a hood over his head, punched him twice in the face, and then fled the scene. Following the report of the attack, the police used surveillance cameras to identify and apprehend the perpetrator.

Only two month earlier Dragoslavić was also attacked when he was reporting from one other case in Belgrade.

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On 30 May 2023, a court in Homel / Gomel (Гомель) rendered its verdict against Yauhen Merkis (Яўген Меркіс), a journalist, local history expert and tourist guide, sentencing him to four years of imprisonment. The trial was conducted in closed sessions. He was named guilty for “assistance to an extremist activity” and for the “participation in extremist formation,” as specified in the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus. Working as journalists he covered the protests after the presidential election in 2020.

Merkis was detained on 13 September 2022, and subsequent searches were conducted at his living-place, as well as the home of his father and some friends.

Several independent media outlets that published his story were named “extremist” by the authorities.

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