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FEBRUARY 2006
ROMANIA: GOVERNMENT PRESSURE
H.E. Calin Popescu-Tariceanu
Prime Minister of Romania
Bucharest, Romania
H.E. Monica Luisa Macovei
Minister of Justice
Bucharest, Romania
Vienna, 23 February 2006
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), expresses its outrage at recent government pressure on journalists in Romania.
According to information by the Civic Media Association in Bucharest, since the beginning of February 2006, six Romanian journalists have been placed under judicial pressure in Romania as a result of their professional activities. On 7 February, anonymous sources provided two national dailies from Bucharest, ZIUA and Romania Libera, with military documents about Romanian and US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. However, the newspapers decided not to publish this information. The military information was sent to the editorial offices on a CD copy, which was later handed over to the authorities.
Afterwards, the Romania Libera corespondent from Vrancea county, Marian Garleanu, was arrested on 16 February and released after two days. His arrest was part of a broader investigation into the leak of military information by a former Romanian soldier, which has been described by some as classified.
Sebastian Oancea, another journalist from Vrancea county and a corespondent for Academia Catavencu magazine in Bucharest, was also implicated in the case by the authorities. His home was searched on 18 February, and his personal CD's and his computer hard disk were confiscated. On 20 February, the public prosecutors in Bucharest charged and indicted Oancea for the possession and distribution of state secrets.
Defense Minister Teodor Atanasiu said the information was two years old and "doesn't threaten our forces...but it is very serious that something like this was leaked.".
Three journalists for ZIUA daily, Bogdan Comaroni, Doru Dragomir and Victor Roncea, who is also a member of the Civic Media Association, are now also under investigation by the public prosecutors for possession of the information - in spite of the fact that the journalists informed the authorities about the information and handed it over. Ovidiu Ohanesian from Romania Libera is also being investigated in the same case. Elsewhere, Sorin Rosca Stanescu, Director of ZIUA daily, and Petre Mihai Bacanu, Director of Romania Libera daily, were questioned by the prosecutors about this case.
SEEMO strongly condemns the attempt to pressure journalists into revealing their sources. Governments should not involve journalists in their criminal investigations, nor intimidate them in order to influence their reporting.
We urge Your Excellencies to do everything in your power to stop these practices and to prevent such cases from happening in the future. SEEMO would also like to remind Your Excellencies that an open media environment allowing for the free flow of information is a fundamental principle of any democratic society.
We thank you for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Oliver Vujovic
SEEMO Secretary General
APRIL 2006
BULGARIA: BOMB
H.E. Sergei Stanishev
Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria
Sofia, Bulgaria
H.E. Rumen Yordanov Petkov
Minister of Interior Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria
Sofia, Bulgaria
Vienna, 10 April 2006
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 a recent assassination attempt on a Bulgarian journalist.
According to information before SEEMO, on 6 April 2006, a bomb exploded in front of the house of Vassil Ivanov, an investigative reporter for Nova TV channel. The explosion destroyed his apartment, and smashed the windows of the building and the cars parked nearby, but luckily nobody was injured. Ivanov suspected the assault might have been connected to his reporting on crime and his investigative stories.
SEEMO strongly condemns this bomb attack, which was a clear attempt to kill the journalist and his family. Journalists should be able to work freely, without their life being threatened due to their reporting.
We urge Your Excellencies to do everything in your power to stop these practices and to prevent such cases from happening in the future, as well as to secure safe working conditions for journalists. SEEMO would also like to remind Your Excellencies that an open media environment allowing for the free flow of information is a fundamental principle of any democratic society.
We thank you for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Oliver Vujovic
SEEMO Secretary General
MAY 2006
SEEMO PROTEST CROATIA
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, 11 May 2006
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 deeply concerned about recent death threats against Croatian journalists.
According to information before SEEMO, on 9 May 2006, Drago Hedl, the editor of the Croatian weekly, Feral Tribune, received a death threat. Hedl said the threat was directed at him because of a series of articles he published in the weekly on the torture and killings of Serbian civilians in Osijek. This is not the first time that Hedl has received death threats, and SEEMO issued a letter of concern on the subject in December 2005. On this occasion the threat allegedly came from a local politician.
We would also like to bring to your attention the case of Slobodna Dalmacija journalist, Sasa Jadrijevic Tomas, who reported a death threat to the police at the beginning of May from a retired Croatian officer. The threat came after Jadrijevic alleged that the officer was illegally using army draftees to work on his construction site.
SEEMO is deeply concerned about the re-occurrence of threats against journalists and kindly asks your Excellency to do everything in your power to urgently investigate these cases, and to take all necessary steps to protect their lives. It is very alarming that threats against journalists in Croatia are increasing.
We would like to remind Your Excellencies that a safe working environment for journalists is a fundamental principle of every democratic society. It is also in the interest of democratic development in Croatia that journalists are allowed to investigate stories free of any pressure.
We thank you for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Oliver Vujovic
SEEMO Secretary General
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MACEDONIA (FYROM - REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA)
H.E. Branko Crvenkovski
President of the Republic of Macedonia
Skopje, Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)
H.E. Ljupco Jordanovski
President of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia
Skopje, Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)
H.E. Vlado Buckovski
Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia
Skopje, Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)
CC:
Ms. Meri Mladenovska-Georgievska
Minister of Justice of the Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)
Mr. Ljubomir Mihajlovski
Minister of Interior of the Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)
Ms. Lence Sofronievska
President of the Court Council of the Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)
Vienna, 22 May 2006
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 outraged by a prison sentence handed down to a journalist in Kumanovo, Republic of Macedonia - FYROM.
According to information before SEEMO, Zoran Bozinovski, co-owner and deputy editor-in-chief of the daily Trojka and a journalist for Forum Plus weekly, was recently given a 3-month prison sentence for criminal defamation and insult. The sentence was handed down by the Court in Kumanovo after charges were brought against Bozinovski for an article published in the local weekly Bulevar on 25 December 2003. At the time he was the newspaper's owner and editor-in-chief.
In accordance with the SEEMO Vienna Declaration of 6 May 2006, SEEMO regards prison terms for defamation as a gross violation of internationally accepted standards and believes that defamation should be treated under civil law, not as a criminal offence subject to punishment by the state. SEEMO also finds this sentence unacceptable because, on 10 May, the Parliament in Skopje adopted an amendment to the Criminal Code, which abolished imprisonment as a punishment for criminal defamation.
SEEMO has also been informed that Bozinovski has to report to the police today at 3 p.m. in order to start serving his sentence. However, the above-mentioned decision by the Parliament will be implemented on 23 May. At the moment, there are 82 pending charges against Bozinovski, mostly initiated by public officials. As a result of his investigative reporting, Bozinovski has been physically attacked and seriously injured in the past.
We remind Your Excellencies that reporting on controversial figures and topics is not only in the public interest, but also provides a context to delicate and difficult subjects. SEEMO, therefore, asks Your Excellencies to do everything in your power to rescind this court decision and withdraw the charges and the sentence against Bozinovski. SEEMO would also like to remind Your Excellencies that an open media environment, allowing for the free flow of information, is a fundamental principle of any democratic society.
We thank you for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Oliver Vujovic
SEEMO Secretary General
AUGUST 2006
SERBIA BROADCASTING LAW
Vienna, 9 August 2006
SEEMO CONCERNED ABOUT AMENDMENTS TO THE BROADCASTING LAW IN SERBIA
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, welcomes Serbian President Boris Tadic´s refusal to promulgate legislative amendments to the Broadcasting Law passed by the Serbian Assembly on 19 July 2006.
SEEMO also fully supports the views expressed by the OSCE Mission to Serbia, which "called upon the Serbian Assembly to reconsider the urgent procedure of adopting amendments to the broadcasting law and allow time for public discussion."
SEEMO believes that, if these amendments are signed into law, they will make the Republic Broadcasting Agency financially dependent on the government in clear violation of the regulatory body's need for independence. In addition, although broadcasters may appeal, they are obliged to execute the regulatory body's decision without delay; the failure to do so leads to a compulsory enforcement procedure of the Council's decision.
Commenting on the situation, SEEMO Secretary-General, Oliver Vujovic said, "The proposed amendmends to the Broadcasting Law jeopardize freedom of expression and seriously limit the right to fair proceedings and the use of legal remedies, particularly the right to appeal against a decision of the Republic Broadcasting Agency."
"For these reasons I welcome the decision of the Serbian President Boris Tadic to exercise his Constutional right and refuse to sign these amendments into the Broadcasting law. I also hope that in the next parliamentary session, in September or October 2006, Parliament will once again debate these amendments and take into considaration all domestic and international reactions by professional media organisations."
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SEEMO PRESS RELEASE SERBIA AND CROATIA
Vienna, 30 August 2006
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 worsening situation for journalists in Serbia and Croatia.
In Serbia, SEEMO has registered the following attacks and threats against journalists, prison sentences given to journalists, as well as restrictions on the free access to information:
- On 13 July, Jelena Antic, Ruma correspondent for the daily Dnevnik, was prevented from attending a press conference at the Ruma City Hall by security officers, who were acting on the orders of the President of the Municipality, Srdjan Nikolic.
- On 25 July, Jahja Fehratovic, editor of the weekly Glas Sandjaka, received anonymous death threats over the phone.
- At the beginning of August, Slavko Savic, director of the local TV Kursumlija, was given a four-month conditional prison sentence for libel, although the information broadcast by his station was correct.
- On 13 August, Nikola Rumenic, journalist for the weekly Svet, was physically attacked and injured by two perpetrators in front of the hotel Jugoslavija in Belgrade.
- On 13 August, Dusanka Novkovic, Pozarevac correspondent for the daily Kurir, received threats over the phone by a priest of the Serbian Orthodox Church, who was dissatisfied with her writing in an article titled, "Priest Has Beaten Up a Priest".
- On 17 August, Dragan Zaric, journalist for Radio Stari Milanovac, was physically attacked while moderating a radio show. A masked perpetrator entered the studio and attacked Zaric with a knife.
In Croatia, SEEMO has registered the following cases:
- On 23 June, Ad Van Denderen, a Dutch photographer, was beaten up by five unknown men on a beach near Split while taking photographs. He was seriously injured and had to seek medical treatment in a hospital. Afterwards, he went to a local police station in Split where he was not allowed to file an official complaint.
- On 12 July, Ladislav Tomicic, a journalist for Novi list daily, received an anonymous letter containing death threats directed at him and his family.
- In July, Vitomir Peric, Sinj correspondent for Jutarnji list daily and Croatian Radio, was insulted and threatened in a restaurant by Velibor Milosevic, a local politician. Peric had already received anonymous death threats over the phone.
- On 25 July, Kristina Tesija, a journalist for Nova TV, was verbally and physically attacked by Ivan Dabo, mayor of the town of Novalja, from where the journalist was reporting about water shortages for the evening news.
Speaking about these incidents, Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General said, "SEEMO strongly condemns these threats and attacks on journalists, as well as all activities which restrict free journalistic work and movement. I am very concerned about the worsening of the working conditions of journalists in Croatia and Serbia, in particular because in many cases it is clear that the pressure was exerted by political representatives. Furthermore, in several cases, the police did not react properly."
Vujovic added, "If both countries would like to become members of the European Union, the local politicians and courts, as well as police, must do everything in their power to provide safe working conditions for journalists."
SEPTEMBER 2006
SEEMO PROTEST SERBIA
H.E. Dragan Jocic
Minister of Interior of the Republic of Serbia
Belgrade, Serbia
Vienna, 13 September 2006
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 at the recent death threats received by a journalist in Serbia and the dismissive reaction of the police.
According to information before SEEMO, on the night of 18 August, Slavica Jovanovic, a journalist from Macvanski Prnjavor, received death threats by telephone from an anonymous male voice telling her that she will die and that she should move away. This was not the first time that Jovanovic has been threatened, and in the past, her family members have been physically attacked.
SEEMO was also informed that the local police refused to allow Jovanovic to file an official complaint. Indeed, it was only after the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) intervened on her behalf that the police agreed to give her proper protection.
SEEMO views these threats as a very serious violation of press freedom and journalists' rights. We ask Your Excellency to do everything in your power to protect the life of the journalist and her family members, as well as to investigate why the local police failed to react immediately.
As SEEMO noted in its press release of 30 August, the situation in Serbia is very alarming because the number of threats and attacks on journalists has risen in recent months. SEEMO would also like to remind Your Excellency that an open media environment allowing for the free flow of information is a fundamental principle of any democratic society.
We thank you for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Oliver Vujovic
SEEMO Secretary General
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SEEMO PROTEST MOLDOVA
H.E. Vladimir Voronin
President of the Republic of Moldova
Chisinau, Moldova
Vienna, 20 September 2006
Your Excellency,
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 about the recent arrest of the sales director at PRO TV Chisinau.
According to information before SEEMO, Ghenadie Braghis, sales director at PRO TV Chisinau, was arrested on 7 September on suspicion of demanding a bribe of US$ 1,000 from a private Moldovan transport company. The bribe was allegedly in exchange for a prime time commercial on PRO TV Chisinau. During his detention, Braghis was denied access to legal counsel.
SEEMO condemns this treatment of an innocent individual who has not been found guilty of any wrongdoing. There is also considerable concern that Braghis' arrest may be related to the critical reporting of the TV station. With this in mind, we would ask Your Excellency to use your influence on Moldovan officials and institutions to encourage them to respect the legal procedures in police investigations.
SEEMO would also like to remind Your Excellency that an open media environment allowing for the free flow of information, as well as the existence of critical media, is a fundamental principle of any democratic society.
We thank you for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Oliver Vujovic
SEEMO Secretary General
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SEEMO PROTEST KOSOVO
H.E. Kole Berisha
President of the Assembly of Kosovo
Pristina, Kosovo
26 September 2006
Your Excellency,
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), expresses its deep concern over the attack on a journalist working for the Prisitna-based Lajm daily.
According to information before SEEMO, on 14 September reporter Enis Veliu from the Kosovo daily Lajm was allegedly assaulted by Muhamet Berisha, a security member of the Kosovo Assembly. The incident happened while Veliu was waiting to meet the member of the parliament Bajrush Xhemaili at the Assembly's restaurant. Prior the meeting, Veliu had presented a valid regular journalists visitors ID.
SEEMO was further informed that Veliu wanted to report the incident to the police, but at the police station he was advised to forgive the perpetrator.
SEEMO strongly condemns this attack on the journalist and urges Your Excellency to do everything in your power to investigate this case, as well as to prevent such incidents from happening in the future. We would like to remind Your Excellency that it is crucial for journalists to do their job freely and that independent media are vital for the democratic development of any society.
We thank you for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Oliver Vujovic
SEEMO Secretary General
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H.E. Zoran Stojkovic
Minister of Justice of the Republic of Serbia
Belgrade, Serbia
H.E. Bojan Kostres
President of the Parliament of Vojvodina
Novi Sad, Serbia
Vienna, 27 September 2006
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), strongly condemns the suspended jail sentence given to a Serbian journalist for criminal defamation.
According to information before SEEMO, Snezana Nikolic, a journalist for the daily Dnevnik from Novi Sad, was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, because of her article about a lawyer. Published in Dnevnik four years ago, the article concerned conflicts over construction sites in Vojvodina. The District Court's judgement in Novi Sad was affirmed on 21 September 2006 by the Trial Court of Novi Sad.
SEEMO, as well as local journalists' associations in Serbia, are deeply concerned that many journalists are still facing criminal defamation actions in the country. Another concern is the District Court's explanation in Nicolic´s case that a suspended sentence is less harsh than a fine.
SEEMO strongly believes that comparisons between fines and suspended sentences are redundant. Both are forms of criminal punishment and both leave the journalist with the stigma of a criminal record. Although preferable to a jail sentence, a suspended sentence encourages self-censorship and is another method of preventing journalists from practicing their profession.
SEEMO would also ask Your Excellencies to do everything in your power to reverse the decision in Nikolic's case in the event that this decision is not overturned by the higher court.
SEEMO asks as well to start the process of decriminalisation of defamation according to international standards. Journalists should not be punished for defamation under criminal law and all defamation actions should be heard in the civil courts.
SEEMO would also like to remind Your Excellencies that an open media environment allowing for the free flow of information is a fundamental principle of any democratic society.
We thank you for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Oliver Vujovic
SEEMO Secretary General
OCTOBER 2006
H.E. Vladimir Voronin
President of the Republic of Moldova
Chisinau, Moldova
H.E. Vasile Tarlev
Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova
Chisinau, Moldova
H.E. Vitalie Parlog
Minister of Justice of the Republic of Moldova
Chisinau, Moldova
Vienna, 19 October 2006
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 at the recent pressures on journalists from a Chisinau-based weekly.
According to information before SEEMO, after publishing a series of articles related to crimes and corruption in the legal system of the Republic of Moldova, journalists working for the Chisinau-based weekly newspaper Ziarul de Garda have faced ongoing pressure from the representatives of different state institutions as well as other unidentified persons.
SEEMO has also been informed that these persons have attempted to interfere in the editorial policy of the weekly by entering into doubtful agreements or by attempting to bribe its reporters.
SEEMO condemns these attempts to influence the paper's reporting and to intimidate journalists. With this in mind, we would ask Your Excellencies to use your influence on Moldovan officials and institutions to encourage them to investigate these accusations and to halt these illegal practices.
SEEMO would also like to remind Your Excellency that an open media environment allowing for the free flow of information, as well as the existence of critical media, is a fundamental principle of any democratic society.
We thank you for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Oliver Vujovic
SEEMO Secretary General
NOVEMBER 2006
SEEMO PRESS RELEASE: BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Vienna, 24 November 2006
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 death threats against a journalist from Bosnia-Herzegovina:
According to information before SEEMO, Mubarak Asani, a journalist for the Sarajevo-based public broadcaster BHT 1 TV, received anonymous death threats via telephone after the broadcasting of an investigative report in the weekly political programme "Javna tajna" (Public Secret) on 2 November 2006. The report revealed details about an illegal prostitution ring in the city of Sarajevo involving politicians and other public persons in Bosnia-Herzegovina, although the names of the politicians were not disclosed.
After the programme was broadcast, Asani received over a hundred anonymous threatening phone calls, as well as a bribe offer to make public the names of the politicians involved.
Speaking about the incident, Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General said, "SEEMO strongly condemns such threats against journalists, as well as all activities which restrict the work of journalists."
DECEMBER 2006
SEEMO PRESS RELEASE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA
Vienna , 19 December 2006
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 about the recent developments in connection with the local radio station Antena C, and the local TV station Euro TV, both run by the Chisinau Municipal Council.
According to information provided to SEEMO, on 14 December, the Chisinau Municipal Council decided to put Antena C and Euro TV up for tender and to dismiss the directors of both institutions. The two broadcasters are being privatized as outlined in the new broadcasting code. In reaction to this decision, journalists at both stations began an organized protest on 15 December.
SEEMO urges all those involved in the process of reorganization to find an equitable solution that ensures the normal functioning of both media. It is important for every country to have local electronic media that provide citizens with access to comprehensive and impartial information. SEEMO is especially concerned about the interruption of the broadcasting signal of Antena C on 16 December, during a radio debate about current developments at the station.
"I agree with the Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova, Ambassador Louis O'Neill, that it is curious that such a technical problem arose during a debate about problems at the radio station Antena C", said Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General. Vujovic added that he is very worried about the recent developments in the Chisinau local electronic media. "I would like everyone to remember that free and independent media are crucial to the democratic development in any country. A plurality of voices is an essential element of every society".
SEEMO also calls on the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova to ensure that the new members of Teleradio Moldova 's Supervisory Board will be selected transparently, based on professional experience.
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