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FEBRUARY 2005
CROATIA
H.E. Stjepan Mesic
President of Croatia
Zagreb, Croatia
H.E. Ivo Sanader
Prime Minister of Croatia
Zagreb, Croatia
H.E. Vladimir Seks
President of the Croatian Parliament
Zagreb, Croatia
Vienna, 18 February 2005
Your Excellencies,
The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East Europe, and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is deeply concerned by the decision by a Croatian Court to uphold a suspended jail sentence given to a journalist under the Criminal Code, as well by reports that the Croatian security service has tried to discredit a group of journalists.
According to information before SEEMO, the County Court in the town of Split recently decided to uphold the sentence against Ljubica Letinic, a journalist for Croatian Radio and Television (HRT), after she filed an appeal. On 12 July 2004, Letinic was handed down a two-month suspended prison sentence by a Municipal Court in Split for defaming a local businessman in the television programme "Latinica" in March 2002.
SEEMO regards prison terms for defamation, whether suspended or not, as a gross violation of internationally accepted standards. Along with numerous other inter-governmental and non-governmental organisations, we believe that defamation should be treated under civil law, not as a criminal offence subject to state punishments.
We would like to remind you that SEEMO already reacted to this case in 2004. Therefore, we once again call on the Croatian authorities to initiate the process of removing repressive laws that criminalise defamation, as well as to take the appropriate steps to ensure that the sentence against Ljubica Letinic is revoked.
Finally, SEEMO has been informed by a group of five Croatian journalists that the Counter-Intelligence Agency (POA) recently accused them of meeting with representatives of foreign secret services.
Zeljko Peratovic of the daily Vjesnik, Gordan Malic of Globus, Ivica Djikic of the Feral Tribune, and Ivanka Toma and Marijo Kavain of the daily Jutarnji list, are calling for an inquiry after an article in the Globus weekly claimed that the POA, led by its former chief Franjo Turek, had tapped their phones in 2003 and 2004 because they were suspected of participating in a media-intelligence campaign against Croatia. The reporters said that a published POA document described their articles on investigations by the Hague war crimes tribunal and the functioning of security services as "a premeditated, organised and coordinated campaign to disseminate misinformation jeopardising national security."
SEEMO urges the Croatian authorities to investigate this case and to allow journalists to work freely.
We would like to remind Your Excellencies that a safe working environment for journalists, without any pressure, is a fundamental principle in every democratic society.
We thank you for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Oliver Vujovic
SEEMO Secretary General
MAY 2005
World Press Freedom Day and SEEMO activities
Vienna, 3 May 2005
The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East Europe (SEE) and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), commemorates today, together with journalists, media executives and editors in South East Europe, World Press Freedom Day. In 1991, the General Conference of UNESCO recommended that the United Nations General Assembly proclaim 3 May as World Press Freedom Day, a day to mark the fundamental principles of press freedom.
SEEMO is pleased that we have today in South Eastern Europe less direct pressures on media by governments than we had a few years ago. However, the pressure is still present, and we are especially worried about indirect state pressure. "It is important that governments and state institutions recognise that journalists have the right to work freely and independently," said Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General.
SEEMO is also deeply concerned that the work of investigative journalists in SEE is often obstructed by local businessmen, officials or criminals. According to Vujovic, "The work of investigative journalists is very important and helps the democratisation process of the countries in the region. Officials, police and courts should take every case of pressure against journalists more seriously, and help journalists if they receive death threats."
SEEMO uses this opportunity to remind authorities in the region that there are still unsolved investigations involving journalists killed in the past years. For example, in Serbia, the authorities have not discovered the identities of the killers of journalists Milan Pantic and the owner and editor-in-chief of Dnevni Telegraf, Slavko Curuvija, and have not finished the investigation of the death of journalist Dada Vujasinovic. On 27 May 2005 it will be one year since Dusko Jovanovic, editor-in-chief of the daily Dan from Montenegro, was killed. It is intolerable that journalists and editors are being assassinated for carrying out their professional duties.
SEEMO is also concerned about hate speech, and the unethical or unprofessional reporting of some media. "Some journalists are working more like propagandists of a political party than like professionals. SEEMO sees as important the acceptance of professional standards and the education of journalists in SEE," Vujovic said.
On today's World Press Freedom Day we would also like to remember that three kidnapped journalists from Romania, Marie Jean Ion, Sorin Miscoci and Ovidiu Ohanesian, are still missing in Iraq.
SEEMO also urges governments in SEE to accept internationally recognised media standards, including the decriminalisation of defamation. No journalist should ever again be sentenced to jail for what he or she writes. Also, journalists should be free from persecution under insult laws that protect public officials. Officials should open the doors to journalists for free and easy access to information, but on the other hand respect the right of journalists to protect their sources of information.
Regarding its activities, SEEMO would like to announce issues of two SEEMO publications: South East Europe Media Handbook 2004/2005 and number 3 of DeScripto, a quarterly magazine of media in South Eastern Europe. SEEMO will also continue this year its Dialogue Meetings between editors-in-chief and media executives, with a meeting in October 2005 in Opatija with editors-in-chief and media executives from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia, as well as a meeting in November 2005 in Tirana with editors-in-chief and media executives from Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo. SEEMO will also organise this year a meeting of editors-in-chief and media executives of private news agencies in the region.
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SLOVENIA
H.E. Janez Drnovsek
President
Office of the President of the Republic
SI-1000 Ljubljana
Slovenia
H.E. Janez Jansa
Prime Minister
Office of the Prime Minister
SI-1000 Ljubljana
Slovenia
Vienna, 12 May 2005
Your Excellencies,
The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists, and its affiliate, the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), are writing to you to highlight a number of problems with the draft Act on Radio Television Slovenia (RTV Slovenia).
Before examining some of the provisions, IPI would ask the Slovenian government whether there is a real need to introduce an amended public service broadcasting law. In previous times, the Slovenian law was considered to be one of the most advanced within the new EU member countries and it appears to IPI that amendments might harm this reputation.
IPI believes that the draft law in its present form does not do everything possible to uphold the independence and autonomy of the public service broadcaster and, quite to the contrary, it leaves the organisation vulnerable to political influence and pressure.
For example, concerning the composition of the Programming Council of RTV Slovenia (PCRS), in Article 17 (5), 16 members are to be appointed by the National Assembly based on suggestions "by the viewers and listeners of RTV broadcasts, universities, associations of societies or their organisations. . ."
Using this format, IPI is worried that the relationship between civil society organisations and the National Assembly merely pays lip service to the idea of negotiation and consultation but, in truth, gives the organisations little or no say in the final decision as to who should be a member of the PCRS. To avoid this problem, IPI would prefer to see either an independent board of civil society organisations choosing their own representatives or certain nominated organisations forwarding their own choices.
IPI also notes that the Roma community is not specifically mentioned. On the question of the PCRS, IPI would like to see the Roma community represented in this body. This is important because of the government's commitment to the Slovenian Constitution and the Public Media Act.
Another important point is the question of the third channel that is to be used for transmitting parliamentary and other National Assembly and National Council activities. Given the special nature of this channel, IPI believes that funding should come not from the budget of the public service broadcaster, but from a special source of funding.
After all, the requirement to produce such programming is an additional burden on the broadcaster that might affect its work in other valuable areas and there is a need for heavy technical investment in programme distribution since, at present, it is obviously not possible to broadcast a third channel across the entire country.
In view of the above, IPI and SEEMO would ask that the Slovenian government take the draft law and enter into a rolling discussion with all interested parties as a means of making certain that the draft law meets the needs of the broadest possible spectrum of Slovenian society.
Finally, public service broadcasting operates both for and on behalf of the Slovenian public and a strong statement to this effect would certainly remove some of IPI's concerns about the possible deficiencies related to the question of the broadcaster's independence from political influences.
We thank you for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Johann P. Fritz
IPI Director
Oliver Vujovic
SEEMO Secretary General
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ALBANIA
Vienna, 19 May 2005
The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is deeply concerned about a recent attack on journalists in Albania.
According to information from the Albanian Helsinki Committee, on 8 May, two journalists and two cameramen from local TV stations in Korca were forbidden from filming the activities of municipal police officers, who were in the process of suspending activities at a private bar in the Korca district. Furthermore, the chief of the municipal police of the Korca district exerted violence against Juliana Dhimitri, correspondent for Top Channel TV, and threw away one of the cameramen's equipment.
Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General, condemned these attacks on journalists. "Attacks on journalists and destruction of their equipment are unacceptable. It is particularly worrying if these attacks are coming from high officials, like from a chief of the municipal police. Journalists must be able to report without fear of harassment and intimidation."
SEEMO would like to reassert that a safe working environment for journalists is a fundamental principle of any democratic society. We urge the Albanian authorities to investigate this case immediately and to take the necessary action against the responsible persons.
JUNE 2005
MACEDONIA - FYROM
Vienna, 6 June 2005
The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is concerned about a recent attempt by a Macedonian political party to ban Serbian music in Macedonia (Republic of Macedonia - FYROM).
According to information before SEEMO, on Wednesday, 1 June, the leadership of the Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity (VMRO)/People's Party sent an appeal to all owners of television and radio stations in Macedonia to ban the broadcasting of Serbian music for the next three months. This appeal followed the decision of the Serbian Orthodox Church not to recognise the Macedonian Orthodox Church.
SEEMO strongly condemns this call by the VMRO/People's Party, because no party has the right to influence the editorial policy of any media house.
All politicians must recognise the basic principles of freedom of expression and press freedom.
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KOSOVO JOURNALIST WAS SHOT
Vienna, 7 June 2005
The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is alarmed at the recent assassination attempt on a Kosovo journalist.
According to information before SEEMO, on Friday, 3 June, Bardhyl Ajeti, former journalist and editor for Bota sot daily from Kosovo, which is also
published in Western Europe and USA, was shot with one bullet in the head and one in the back while driving through the village of Bresalc/Bresalce,
some kilometres away from Gjilan/Gnjilane. Unknown persons have opened gunfire on Ajeti's car, while driving by. His condition is critical,
although he was immediately operated upon.
SEEMO has also been informed that on several occasions Ajeti claimed he was under threat. We would like to stress that this attempt on Ajeti's life is
just one in a series of attacks on journalists in Kosovo. Only one year ago Fatmira Terdevci, a journalist for Koha Ditore, was attacked by unknown men. The perpetrators have still not been identified.
SEEMO calls upon the international and local authorities in Kosovo to do everything in their power to find those persons responsible for this
assassination attempt and to bring them to justice. SEEMO would also like to emphasise that freedom of expression and a safe working environment for journalists are the basic principles of any democratic society.
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SERBIA
H.E. Vojislav Kostunica
Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia
Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
H.E. Dragan Jocic
Minister of Interior Affairs of the Republic of Serbia
Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
Vienna, 16 June 2005
Your Excellency,
The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is deeply concerned about recent threats against the editor-in-chief of the Serbian daily newspaper, Danas.
According to information before SEEMO, on Saturday, 11 June, an unknown person called the office of Belgrade daily Danas and issued a death threat against the editor-in-chief, Grujica Spasovic. The person identified himself as "the security" of General Ratko Mladic, who is in hiding and being hunted because of his indictment by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for war crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
SEEMO asks your Excellency to do everything in your power to urgently investigate this threat and to take all necessary steps to protect the life of Grujica Spasovic. We would like to remind Your Excellencies that a safe working environment for journalists, without any pressure, is a fundamental principle in every democratic society.
We thank you for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Oliver Vujovic
SEEMO Secretary General
JULY 2005
BROADCASTING ACT
Vienna, 28 July 2005
The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is concerned about draft amendments to the Broadcast Act, which the Government of Serbia intends to put before Parliament.
SEEMO is informed that the Serbian Government would like to amend the three-year old Broadcasting Act and has sent the amendments to Parliament without consulting professional media organisations in Serbia.
According to our sources, one of the amendments would revoke the veto power of the Broadcast Council member nominated by the autonomous province of Vojvodina, who until now has had the power of veto in all decisions concerning Vojvodina. With this amendment, the Belgrade government has displayed a singular lack of understanding of the problems that are specific to Vojvodina as a multi-ethnic province.
In addition, SEEMO is informed that, instead of the ballot system that was used to randomly determine the term of appointment of individual members of the Broadcasting Council during its first working period, the new amendments propose a fixed length of term for each of the elected members that favours those members who have been elected by Parliament. Thus, those nominated by Parliament as party candidates would serve terms of six years, while those nominated by professional journalists organisations and NGOs would serve only for four years.
The amendments also extend the deadline for the privatisation of media operated by local government authorities until the end of 2008. According to the original Act, the deadline for privatisation was the summer of 2006.
"Instead of speeding up the process of political independence, the Serbian Government is leaving the electronic media at the mercy of local authorities until after the next local elections in Serbia in 2008," said Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General.
Under the new amendments, the deadline for the transition of Radio Television Serbia (RTS) from a state-controlled broadcaster to a public service broadcasting organisation has also been extended until 30 April 2006. "We are alarmed over this development," said Vujovic. "Public service broadcasting is one of the most important mediums through which diversity and the public's right to know can be fulfilled. It is therefore important for Serbia to finish this transition process as soon as possible, in particular since the original deadline was set for 31 January 2003."
"SEEMO calls on the Serbian Government to withdraw the draft amendments to the Broadcast Act and to enter into a wide-ranging consultation with media and other civil society groups before any further amendments are put forward," Vujovic added.
SEPTEMBER 2005
SERBIA ATTACK
H.E. Vojislav Kostunica
Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia
Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
H.E. Dragan Jocic
Minister of Interior of the Republic of Serbia
Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
Vienna, 15 September 2005
Your Excellency,
The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is alarmed about the recent physical attack on a journalist in Serbia.
According to information before SEEMO, on 12 September, Vladimir Mitric, Loznica correspondent for the Belgrade daily Vecernje novosti, was beaten by an unknown assailant at the entrance of the building where he lives. The attacker hit Mitric with a hard object rolled in a cloth and escaped only after Mitric's neighbour appeared. Mitric was taken to hospital for medical treatment.
SEEMO regards this physical attack as a flagrant violation of press freedom. We ask Your Excellencies to ensure an immediate investigation into this case and to take all necessary legal steps to find the perpetrators.
We would like to remind Your Excellencies that only four years ago another local correspondent of Vecernje novosti, Milan Pantic from Jagodina, was killed and his murderers have still not been found. Also, the 1999 murder of journalist Slavko Curuvija has not yet been solved.
At present, the press freedom situation in Serbia is alarming. The number of attacks on journalists has increased in the past months, including threats
against the staff of the broadcaster RTV B92 and the daily newspaper Danas. SEEMO would also like to stress that a safe working environment for
journalists, without any pressure, is a fundamental principle in every democratic society.
We thank you for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Oliver Vujovic
SEEMO Secretary General
OCTOBER 2005
GREECE ATTACK
H.E. Jorgos Voulgarakis
Minister of Public Order
Athens, Greece
H.E. Jorgos Orfanos
Deputy Minister of Culture (Responsible for Sports)
Athens, Greece
Vienna, 3 October 2005
Your Excellencies,
The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is alarmed about the recent assault on yet another sports journalist in Greece.
According to information before SEEMO, on late Friday evening, 30 September 2005, Periklis Stellas, sports journalist and director of the Thessaloniki branch of the sports daily newspaper, Goal News, was attacked by an unknown person as he was leaving his office in the centre of Thessaloniki. The unknown person hit him several times in the head and face, leaving him with concussion, a fractured jawbone and other minor injuries. The journalist was subsequently rushed to hospital. According to the police there were no eyewitnesses to the attack.
We would like to remind your Excellencies that this is the third attack on a sports journalist in Greece in the past year. In October 2004, sports
journalist and head of the Sports Department of the Eleftherotypia daily newspaper, Philippos Syrigos, was attacked in the car park near the Super
Sport FM radio station when walking to his car after a radio show. His attackers were two unidentified individuals wearing helmets, who hit him on
the head with a metal bar and stabbed him several times in the back. The two perpetrators managed to escape. On 7 May 2005, Kostas Nikolakopoulos, a journalist for the sports daily Fos ton Sport and the radio station Super Sport FM, was attacked by four unknown men in front of his wife and two young daughters, only metres away from his home in Ilion, Athens. During the attack, Nikolakopoulos was repeatedly hit on the head and about the body with knuckledusters and iron bars. Once Nikolakopoulos had fallen to the ground, the men disappeared. Nikolakopoulos was later taken to a nearby hospital where he was treated for his injuries.
SEEMO regards these attacks as a very serious violation of press freedom and the rights of journalists. We ask Your Excellencies to start an
investigation into this case and to take all necessary legal steps. We would like to remind Your Excellencies that a safe working environment for
journalists is a fundamental principle in every democratic society.
We thank you for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Oliver Vujovic
SEEMO Secretary General
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IPI/SEEMO Demands Reform of Hague Tribunal's Rule 77
At a meeting of over 60 editors-in-chief, leading journalists and media executives from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia and Montenegro, on 13 October 2005 in Opatija, Croatia, the International Press Institute (IPI) and its affiliate, the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), expressed their support for the actions taken by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Representative on Freedom of the Media, Miklos Haraszti, regarding his demands for the reform of the procedures of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia ("ICTY").
In his letter to the president of the ICTY, dated 11 October 2005, Haraszti referred to the case of Croatian journalists who have been indicted by the ICTY for contempt of court and demanded the amendment of Rule 77 of the ICTY's Rules of Procedure and Evidence dealing with contempt, so that it would only apply to those officials who have actually leaked confidential information.
According to the case law of the European Court of Human Rights and the judicial practices of many democracies, the imprisonment of a journalist for dissemination of classified information is always a disproportionate punishment, and its chilling effect hinders unconstrained debate of public issues.
In contrast to this, the Croatian journalists indicted by the ICTY under Rule 77 can be sentenced to a maximum of seven years imprisonment and fined up to 100,000 Euros.
IPI/SEEMO appeals to the ICTY to urgently change its rules dealing with contempt of court so that internationally acknowledged principles of press freedom are upheld.
"The right to access information of public concern should be recognised everywhere," said Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General, adding, "Journalists should not be held liable for the possession or publication of classified documents, particularly where such information may already be publicly available."
The Director of IPI, Professor Johann Fritz said, "We highly appreciate Mr. Haraszti's solid understanding of the functioning of a free press and fully support the need for a change to Rule 77 so that it reflects the fundamental importance of press freedom and the free flow of information."
IPI, the global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists, is dedicated to the furtherance and safeguarding of press freedom, the protection of freedom of opinion and expression, the promotion of the free flow of news and information, and the improvement of the practices of journalism.
NOVEMBER 2005
SEEMO Criticises Suspended Sentence Handed to Croatian Journalist
Vienna, 10 November 2005
The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is deeply concerned about the suspended jail sentence given to a Croatian journalist.
According to information before SEEMO, on 2 November, the Municipal Court in Zagreb issued a five-month suspended jail sentence to Croatian journalist and writer Predrag Matvejevic for libel. In his article "Our Talibans", published in Zagreb daily Jutarnji list on 10 November 2001, Matvejevic criticised certain Croatian writers for stirring up ethnic hatred during the presidency of the late Franjo Tudjman. The Court's decision was based on action brought by writer Mile Pesorda.
Speaking about the court decision, Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary-General, said, "Punishing journalists for what they say or write is against
international standards. I am surprised that Croatia has chosen to act in a way that is reminiscent of the past. The country will eventually become an
EU member and, in the last few years, it has adopted many international standards."
"Therefore, we urge the responsible higher court in Croatia to urgently examine this decision, and call on the Croatian parliament to revise the
present law."
Vujovic added, "We expect concrete steps and not purely cosmetic changes. One of the basic principles of freedom of speech in any democratic society is that a journalist should not be punished for their writing."
DECEMBER 2005
Croatia: death threat
H.E. Ivo Sanader
Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia
Zagreb, Croatia
H.E. Ivica Kirin
Minister of Interior Affairs of the Republic of Croatia
Zagreb, Croatia
Vienna, 14 December 2005
Your Excellency,
The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is deeply concerned about the recent death threat against the editor of the Croatian weekly, Feral Tribune.
According to information before SEEMO, on 6 December, Drago Hedl, the editor of the Croatian weekly, Feral Tribune, received a death threat in the form of a letter. Hedl said that the letter was directed at him and his source for the series of articles he published in Feral Tribune on the torture and
killings of Serbian civilians in Osijek in 1991.This is not the first time that Hedl has received a death threat.
SEEMO asks your Excellency to do everything in your power to urgently investigate this threat and to take all necessary steps to protect the life
of Drago Hedl. We would like to remind Your Excellencies that a safe working environment for journalists is a fundamental principle in every democratic society.
We thank you for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Oliver Vujovic
SEEMO Secretary General
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ALBANIA
Vienna, 19 December 2005 - The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is deeply concerned about the recent attack on a journalist in Albania.
According to information before SEEMO, on 11 December, at around 2 a.m., Engjell Serjani, director of Dita Jug newspaper and correspondent for Gazeta Shqiptare, was attacked and beaten up by two unknown persons in the city of Gjirokastra. Serjani was leaving a bar next to his office in order to go home, when two persons stopped him and started hitting him until he lost consciousness. Later, Serjani recovered consciousness and was able to go to a hospital to have his injuries treated. The two perpetrators managed to escape.
Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General, condemned this attack on the journalist, "Physical attacks on journalists are both unacceptable and alarming. Journalists must be able to report without fear of harassment and intimidation. This case is very worrying because this is not the first time that a journalist in Albania was physically attacked. This and other acts of violence against journalists are obviously aimed at intimidating the work of journalists." Vujovic added, "SEEMO takes every physical attack on a journalist in a country of transition very seriously. Particularly because in previous years in South East Europe, several journalists have been killed due to their professional work."
SEEMO believes that a safe working environment for journalists is a fundamental principle of any democratic society. We urge the Albanian authorities to investigate this case immediately and to take all necessary action against the responsible persons.
* GREECE Vienna, 19 December 2005 - The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is alarmed about the recent assault on two journalists in Greece.According to information before SEEMO, on Tuesday, 13 December, the reporter of Mega Channel TV, Christos Michalopoulos, and his cameraman, Alfonso Ponse, were attacked by unknown men wearing masks and helmets, while covering a demonstration in downtown Athens. The demonstration was organised by trade unions in protest of a new law introducing significant changes to working practices in the public sector. Two journalists were sent to cover the demonstration after some 30 masked men burnt down a police car. Later, the two were also attacked and beaten around the head and upper body by the same men. They were both taken to a hospital, where their injuries were treated. None of the perpetrators could be identified.
Speaking about this attack, Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General said, "It is important that during a demonstration all sides respect the right of journalists to report on important news events."
Vujovic also referred to previous attacks on journalists in Greece, "In October 2004 sports journalist Philippos Syrigos was attacked in the car park near Super Sport FM radio station, while walking to his car after a radio show. On 7 May, Kostas Nikolakopoulos, a journalist for the sports daily Fos ton Sport and the radio station Super Sport FM, was attacked by four unknown men in front of his home in Athens. On 30 September 2005, Periklis Stellas, sports journalist and director of the Thessaloniki branch of the sports daily newspaper, Goal News, was attacked by an unknown person as he was leaving his office in the centre of Thessaloniki. In [these] cases, the perpetrators have not been identified yet."
With the above in mind, SEEMO calls upon the authorities in Greece to find and bring to justice those responsible for these attacks. SEEMO would also like to remind the Greek authorities that freedom of expression and a safe working environment for journalists are the basic principles of any democratic society.
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ALBANIA: ATTACK Vienna, 21 December 2005
The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is alarmed about the recent attack on a media house in Albania.
According to information before SEEMO, on the night of 18 December, unknown persons threw explosives into an area close to the building in which three newspapers, Shekulli, Sporti Shqiptar and Biznesi, and one magazine, Spekter, have their offices. Although the journalists were still working in
the building, nobody was injured, but there was damage to property.
Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General, condemned this incident, "We are especially worried because only a few days ago there was a brutal physical attack on a journalist in the city of Gjirokastra. Once again, we would like to emphasise that journalists must be able to report without fear of harassment or intimidation. It is obvious that such acts of violence against journalists are attempts to scare them and obstruct their work."
SEEMO believes that a safe working environment for journalists is a fundamental principle of any democratic society. We urge the Albanian
authorities to investigate this case immediately and to take all necessary action against those responsible.
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CROATIA LATIN
H.E. Ivo Sanader
Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia
Zagreb, Croatia
H.E. Ivica Kirin
Minister of Interior Affairs of the Republic of Croatia
Zagreb, Croatia
Vienna, 21 December 2005
Your Excellencies,
The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is alarmed about recent death threats received by Croatian journalists.
According to information before SEEMO, on 12 December, after the Croatian Radio Television (HRT)'s edition of the popular political show "Latinica", titled "Tudjman's Legacy", the editor of the show, Denis Latin, together with his staff members, started receiving numerous death threats. During the show, guests discussed the late Croatian president Franjo Tudjman and his role, as well as his legacy.
SEEMO has also been informed that Zrinka Vrabec-Mojzes, editor at Radio 101 from Zagreb, who herself was a guest in the same show, has also started receiving death threats, as well as other editors and journalists working for the radio station.
SEEMO would like to emphasise that open discussions and critical views are a part of every democratic society and are especially important for nascent democracies. Therefore, it is extremely alarming that a TV show could cause such reactions, including a call by certain individuals to lynch journalists in Croatia. SEEMO is extremely worried about several Croatian members of the Parliament, who may have started this campaign and who, by doing so, have violated the laws on freedom of expression.
SEEMO asks Your Excellencies to do everything in your power to protect the lives of threatened journalists, as also to secure the independence of the Croatian Radio Television (HRT). We would also like to remind Your Excellencies that a safe working environment for journalists is a
fundamental principle of any democratic.
We thank you for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Oliver Vujovic
SEEMO Secretary General
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