27/09/2010: CROATIA – CROATIAN JOURNALISTS UNDER SIEGE AFTER PUBLISHING ARTICLES ON ‘MEAT AFFAIR’

Vienna, 27/09/2010

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East and Central Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI) is alarmed at recent threats posed to journalists Sergej Trajkovic and Tomislav Kukec, who work for the Croatian newspaper Jutarnji List.

According to information received by SEEMO, as of 28 August 2010 Trajkovic and Kukec began publishing a series of articles, after a thorough investigation using various sources, describing alleged irregularities in the Croatian meat industry (note: referred to as the “meat affair”), such as the selling of long-expired meat on the Croatian consumer market – something that threatens the health of citizens.

The articles have triggered angry reactions, including from meat processing companies and the Croatian government, all attacking the journalists and attempting to prevent them from publishing such critical articles – which they claim are based on false allegations.

SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic stated: “SEEMO would like to emphasize that the work of investigative journalists is a part of every democratic society and is especially important for a country applying for European Union membership.”

He added: “It is therefore alarming that critical articles like this should cause such reaction, including from certain individuals working for the Croatian authorities and trying to prevent journalists from doing their work properly. By threatening investigative journalists one is violating the laws on freedom of expression.”

Vienna, 28/09/2010

The South and East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South and East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), strongly condemns the alleged threats received by five staff members of the Vijesti Publishing Group in Montenegro.

According to information received by SEEMO, on 24 September 2010 Zeljko Ivanovic, one of the founders and Director of the daily Vijesti, editor-in-chief Slavoljub Scekic, editors Balsa Brkovic, Ljubisa Mitrovic and University Professor Milan Popovic received letters by post containing threats such as “It is over, you are next” (rough Eng. translation from “Gotov si, ti si sledeci”).

This is not the first time journalists from, among others, Vijesti have been exposed to threats especially since Vijesti is well known for its investigative reporting and critical coverage of the government.

On 5 August 2009 Mihailo Jovovic, editor of Vijesti, and Boris Pejovic, a photojournalist, were working on a story on wrong parking in front of a café on Bulevar Svetog Petra Cetinjskog in Podgorica, when they were physically attacked by the mayor and his son.

On 1 September 2007 Zeljko Ivanovic 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 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.

SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic commented: “SEEMO strongly condemns these threats and is very worried about the reoccurrence of threats against Vijesti journalists, such as Ivanovic.”

Vujovic added: “SEEMO welcomes the police investigation into this case, but nevertheless urges the authorities in Montenegro to do everything in their power to prevent such incidents from happening in the future, as it is in the interest of democratic developments in Montenegro that journalists are allowed to investigate stories free of any pressure.”

Vienna, 30/09/2010

The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East and Central Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI) strongly condemns the second bomb attack at the house of Caslav Milisavljevic, editor-in-chief of Radio Kosovska Mitrovica, in the Kosovo municipality of Zvecan.

According to information received by SEEMO, during the early morning hours of 27 September 2010, an explosive device was thrown in the courtyard of Milisavljevic’s house. During this attack, the car of Milisavljevic’s son, which was parked in front of the house, was completely burned. Fortunately, family members in the house at the time remained unhurt. The attack has been reported to the police but the alleged perpetrators remain at large.

This is not the first time Milisavljevic’s house has come under attack. In the early morning of 20 July 2010 his house was attacked, causing damage to three cars which were parked in the street. The alleged perpetrators of this attack are still unknown.

“SEEMO strongly condemns the bomb attack on Milisavljevic and is very alarmed that within a short time frame such an attack occurred again. SEEMO urges the local authorities to do everything in their power to step up their investigation into the two bomb attacks, to provide police protection to Milisavljevic and his family, and to prevent such incidents from happening in the future”, SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic said.

Vienna, 05/10/2010

Turkish reporter Ismail Saymaz faces 79 years in prison due to the publication of critical articles for the Turkish daily newspaper Radikal, IPI’s National Committee in Turkey reports.

Saymaz, accused of “violating the secrecy of an investigation” in relation to the Ergenekon trials and events in the city of Erzincan, has previously been charged with no less than eight other criminal cases. The eighth trial opened up against him on account of his article titled, “Love games in Ergenekon – The Ergenekon prosecutor also took the judge’s statement,” published on 8 June 2010.

The journalist stands trial under allegations of “insult,” “violation of the secrecy of an investigation,” and the “attempt to influence a fair trial,” according to articles 125, 285, and 288 of the Turkish Criminal Law (TCK). His first hearing is scheduled for 28 January 2011.

Addressing the current state of free media in Turkey, IPI Board Member Ferai Tinc, who is also chairperson of the IPI Turkey National Committee, stated, “The Press Law, Anti Terror Law, and several articles of the Penal Code have reached a stage that hinders journalists from performing their job. At present, 48 journalists are in prison and more than 700 journalists face imprisonment. This situation abolishes people’s freedom of information.”

She added, “I ask Prime Minister Erdogan and the government to revise the laws threatening press freedom, while they have the support from the constitutional referendum. Press freedom is the guarantee of a democratic Turkey.”

In an interview with The IPI National Committee, Saymaz stated: “I only do my job as a reporter, inform the public on the events that the public is interested in, and supply them with objective information. I do not try to influence in any way. They sue me with imprisonment of tens of years on every word my newspaper reports.”

“Freedom for the Journalists’ Platform,” an organization that consists of 17 media outlets, was created on 24 September 2010 to discuss the current situation of journalism. The Platform expressed their concern over the influence of Turkish authorities in the media and quoted Prime Minister Erdogan as having said on 26 February 2010, “Columnists cannot write whatever they want. You pay them, control your writers and do not let them write, dismiss them.”

IPI Press Freedom Manager, Anthony Mills said: “IPI reiterates that it is unacceptable that journalists be criminally charged simply because the content of what they write is not liked by the authorities. Journalists have a professional duty to transmit information that is in the public interest. The authorities have an obligation to allow them to do so.”

IPI’s affiliate organisation, the South and East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), supports this statement.

Vienna, 06/10/2010

The South and East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East and Central Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI) strongly condemns the physical assault on Blic newspaper correspondent Gvozden Zdravic in Aleksandrovac, Serbia.

According to information received by SEEMO, on 30 September 2010, at around 10:00, Gvozden Zdravic was physically assaulted while on duty. Zdravic was photographing the local courthouse when the driver of the mayor of Aleksandrovac allegedly ran out of the courthouse and physically abused Zdravic by punching him several times in the head. Zdravic called the police, who arrived on the scene, and then went to hospital due to his head injuries.

Unfortunately this is not the first attack on Zdravic, who was first assaulted on 23 September 2010, at around 20:00, allegedly by a security guard from the local Aleksandrovac authorities while reporting on and photographing the opening day of a local event in the city centre. The second attack occurred on 25 September 2010, around noon, allegedly again by the same security guard, who identified himself as private security for the Mayor of Aleksandrovac, at the entrance of the local high school, when Zdravic wanted to visit an agricultural exhibition.

Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General, said: “SEEMO strongly condemns physical attacks on journalists and would like to remind the local authorities in Aleksandrovac that an open media environment, allowing for the free work of journalists, is a fundamental principle of any democratic society. SEEMO therefore hopes that the perpetrators of the attacks are swiftly brought to justice.”

SEEMO strongly believes that journalists have an important duty to inform the public about activities in their local communities.

Vienna, 07/10/2010

The South and East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East and Central Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI) is deeply concerned about, and strongly condemns, the recent telephone and Email threats to the Croatian weekly Novosti.

According to information received by SEEMO, on 6 October 2010 the weekly Novosti, which ispublished by the Serbian national minority in Croatia, received numerous phone calls and E-mails in which anonymous persons went as far as posing death threats to the Novosti staff members.

The threats appear to have been prompted by the cover page of the latest issue of Novosti, which refers to a recent incident in which two Croatian military aircraft collided and crashed, seriously injuring one person. The cover page featured two MiG planes and a title: “Both of them, both are down!” This particular cover page triggered strong anti- Novosti verbal reactions in Croatia from several public persons, including military officials.

Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General, said: “SEEMO would like to reiterate that the media should have full freedom to report on a topic and to decide how they should editorially cover a story.”

He added: “In addition, everyone in society has the right to criticize the reporting by a media outlet and if a form of reporting is against the law, there are legal instruments in every country which have to be respected. But any form of pressure from individuals against a media outlet, or forms of verbal attack, are not acceptable. High-level military persons can make critical remarks about a media outlet as private persons, out of duty, but should not criticise a media outlet from a public position – which can be dangerous for democratic developments in a country. Furthermore, public persons should know that verbal attacks on a minority media can have a long-term negative impact not only on relations between both a minority and a majority in a country but also for the security of those people belonging to a national minority.”

SEEMO urges the Croatian authorities to conduct a thorough police investigation into the threats received by the newsroom of the weekly Novosti, since modern-day communications technology allows the authorities to acquire information about the senders of E-mails.

SEEMO supports the statement by the Croatian Journalists’ Association (HND) in which it demands that the authorities, including the police, provide full protection and safety to Novosti staff members.

Vienna, 13/10/2010

The South and East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East and Central Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), strongly condemns the manner in which Lamberto Zanieri, a high-ranking United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) Representative and the Special Representative of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, allegedly behaved towards Agron Bajrami, editor-in-chief of daily newspaper Koha Ditore in Kosovo.

According to information received by SEEMO, during the morning of 8 October 2010 Koha Ditore published an article describing the alleged prevention of the reconstruction of the Vladimiric road in the Kosovo municipality of Mitrovica. In the article the names of UNMIK Administration in Mitrovica (UAM) officials who have signed decisions to prevent the rebuilding of the Vladimiric road were published.

During the afternoon of 8 October 2010 Bajrami received a very unpleasant phone call from Zanieri who warned that Bajrami and the newspaper faced legal action, although he did not contest the accuracy of the report.

“SEEMO is surprised at this manner of communication by an official representative of UNMIK who is also the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General,” said SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic.

“As the Head of UNMIK one should communicate professionally and responsibly with journalists. Threatening to sue a newspaper merely because of its critical reporting is considered a clear signal aimed at intimidating journalists and an attack on the freedom to report freely on current affairs.”

SEEMO would like to remind UNMIK that those with legitimate complaints against the media have a range of different mechanisms through which to pursue these complaints. Kosovo has a Press Council, and the UN official can turn to this body if he is not happy with the work of a journalist.

Vienna, 18/10/2010

A Slovenian journalist was allegedly threatened with death on 10 October 2010 by a prominent Ljubljana-based businessman after investigating his company, the journalist told IPI on 14 October 2010.

Jaka Elikan, a reporter for Slovene business daily Finance, had been conducting investigations into Electa, a company owned by Jure Jankovic, son of Ljubljana mayor Zoran Jankovic. Whilst at an event celebrating Jankovic Senior’s re-election, Jankovic Junior was heard making alleged threats to Elikan.

In the presence of several other people, including other journalists, Jankovic Junior reportedly said to an associate, “Kill this person,” clearly indicating Elikan.

Elikan, who had attempted to ask Jankovic Junior questions at the event, was left shaken by the incident and has pressed charges against Jankovic Junior. The Jankovics are one of Slovenia’s wealthiest families and enjoy strong political connections.

Speaking to IPI, Elikan said: “I am afraid but I have a lot of support. I am not as afraid as I was at first, but I am afraid for freedom of speech and freedom of the media…”

Elikan says that he will not let the incident hamper his reporting and that he would continue to report on the mayor, his family and their business affairs, but he is concerned that threats made against him might deter other journalists from reporting on the Jankovics and other sensitive issues in Slovenia.

“I will report in the same way as I reported before,” said Elikan.

IPI Press Freedom Manager Anthony Mills said: “We urge the police to investigate the alleged threat. The authorities must take seriously any allegations of threats to journalists, because an environment in which people fell they can threaten journalists with impunity can have a chilling effect on the willingness of reporters to conduct investigative work.”

The South and East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an IPI affiliate, fully supports this statement.

****For further information, please contact:

Mirjana Milosevic
SEEMO Press Freedom Coordinator
South and East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO)
E-mail: info@seemo.org
Web: www.seemo.org

Vienna, 22/10/2010

The South and East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East and Central Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), welcomes the joint stand, by Serbian journalist associations, on media independence. The associations include: The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM); The Journalists’ Association of Serbia (UNS); The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia(NUNS); The Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina (NDNV) and; Local Press.

It is necessary to secure transparency of ownership of the media through the amendment of legal regulations, and information about this must be publicly available. This information should include the names of companies, ownership percentages and the names of the companies’ owners. SEEMO also supports the abolishment of the legal regulation that prevents foreigners from holding majority stakes in the media and asks for constant monitoring of ownership changes in the media, with the aim of preventing the violation of transparency regulations.

SEEMO would like to note again that Serbia must have legal mechanisms to prevent the creation of monopolies on the media market

SEEMO also calls for a complete withdrawal of the state from ownership in the media. All media should be private, except the Public Broadcasting Service. This means that state shares in the media are needed neither in exclusive nor partial and mixed ownership.

Finally, SEEMO supports equal treatment of all media on the Serbian market. It is important to have favourable legal and economic conditions for the media to survive and develop on the market.

SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic said: “Media independence is fundamental for every society. It is not acceptable for governments to seek ways to undermine such independence by creating state-controlled or state-financed media or by tolerating monopolies.”

Vienna, 05/11/2010

The South and East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East and Central Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is worried by inconveniences caused by slow court decisions throughout the South and East European region.

In recent years, a number of journalists involved in court cases have experienced ongoing problems due to slow court decisions, which in certain cases have been pending for as long as nearly two decades. This places in question the fairness of trials.

On a related note, journalists in South and East Europe are often ordered to pay fines manifestly out of proportion to their salaries. And as a result of the slowness of the court systems, court costs can sometimes be extremely high.

One such case involves journalist Danko Plevnik in Croatia, who according to a court decision on 14 July 2010, was fined 135,208.90 Kuna (around 20,000 EUR). The case started more than18 years ago on 28 February 1992, when a company sued him for the current equivalent of 150 EUR, and he sued the company over a unilaterally severed working contract

SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic said: “In order to resolve legal disputes it is very important to step up court decisions in a generally less contentious, less costly and, especially, less time-consuming way. Stalling the court decision can create a huge problem for journalists, leaving them with delayed resolutions to their struggles.”