Press freedom 2001

Vojislav Kostunica
President

CC:

Zoran Zivkovic
Minister of Internal Affairs, FR Yugoslavia
+ 381 11 - 636 314

Dusan Mihajlovic
Minister of Police, Republic of Serbia
+ 381 11 - 361 76 98

Your Excellency,

The Vienna-based International Press Institute (IPI) affiliate, the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), is writing to condemn the murder of Milan Pantic, journalist with the Belgrade daily Vecernje novosti in the town of Jagodina. Pantic was found dead in the morning of 11 June 2001, after being struck on the head with a sharp object by unknown assailants.

As a local investigative journalist, Pantic reported on crime and corruption in the central Serbian town of Jagodina, where he had received several telephone threats in response to articles he had written.

SEEMO urges the Yugoslav and Serbian authorities, including the local authorities in Jagodina, to bring his killers to justice with all possible speed. We also urge the authorities to bring to justice the killers of Serbian journalist Slavko Curuvija, who was shot dead in April 1999 by unknown gunmen outside his Belgrade apartment.

We further urge the Belgrade authorities to ensure the safety of journalists in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Serbia. The authorities should do everything possible to ensure that journalists are allowed to pursue their profession in safety and without hindrance.

Yours sincerely,

Oliver Vujovic

Secretary General

South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO)