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Articles - Balkans

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Kosovo (Serbia)

President rejects bill that criminalises libel

Following a public outcry, Kosovo's President last week rejected a proposed law that would have criminalised libel and allowed journalists to be jailed if they didn't reveal their sources, report the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), and Human Rights Watch.

Montenegro

Government decriminalises speech offences

Last week Montenegro became the latest country in the world to decriminalise libel, reports the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI).

Bulgaria

Amendments to penal code threaten free expression, says IPI

Bulgaria's Parliament has adopted changes to the penal code that have introduced jail time for journalists and writers who instigate hatred, discrimination or violence - and could be used to impose controls on the media, says the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI).

Serbia

Independent station threatened after airing show on mining abuses

Posters calling for the death of B92 were plastered around a town in Serbia last week, the day after the independent broadcaster aired a show reporting on irregularities at the local coal mine, report the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

Croatia

Six jailed for Pukanic's murder

A court in Croatia has convicted six men for the mafia-style murder of high-profile journalist Ivo Pukanic, say international news reports. Pukanic, editor of the magazine "Nacional", was killed in October 2008, alongside his marketing manager, Niko Franjic, when a car bomb went off near their Zagreb office.

Kosovo (Serbia)

A nascent state is crippling its own press, and its future

More than two years after declaring independence, Kosovo urgently needs a free press to expose "the ills that are undermining" the country, says a new report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). "Kosovo: Still not too late for press freedom" says journalists in the new country are under threat from nationalist militants and financial pressures, and barred from accessing information, with every sphere of government attempting to control editorial decisions. RSF met with journalists and new bloggers trying to work within an ethical framework, despite the numerous political and criminal elements working against them.

Greece

Political blogger and radio journalist slain

A Greek radio journalist and blogger who was about to publish results of an investigation into corruption in the country was lured out of his home in Athens and shot dead on 19 July, report the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the International Press Institute (IPI) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). This is the first murder of a journalist in Greece in more than 20 years.

Serbia

New law violates security of journalists' sources; B92 reporter receives death threats

Serbian national security and police forces have been given the power to view the contents of citizens' personal email accounts without permission as a result of a new law adopted by parliament on 29 June, reports the International Press Institute (IPI). The legal system has also left journalists vulnerable to attacks with a recent court decision to reject charges against six people who allegedly threatened to murder a B92 reporter, says the Belgrade-based Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM).

Macedonia

Authorities ignore broadcaster's call for violence against journalists

A popular Macedonian broadcaster caused waves across the country when it issued a list of targeted journalists, accusing them of being traitors and calling for their "liquidation", reports the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the European group of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). What's worse is that the Macedonian authorities failed to intervene, says EFJ.

Bulgaria

Notorious crime journalist slain

A journalist who had written articles and a book on crime figures was gunned down on 5 January in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, report the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) Index on Censorship and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

Bulgaria / Awards

Bulgarian journalist given new WAZ-IFJ award for her courage

The WAZ Media Group and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is honouring Bulgarian journalist Lidiya Pavlova with the "WAZ-IFJ Prize for Courage in Journalism". The award emphasises the role of independent media in "scrutinising" abuses of power.

Serbia

Radio B92 celebrates 20 years of social responsibility

Radio B92 - a Belgrade local radio station that blossomed into a national media network famous for its staunch independence and commitment to social responsibility - celebrates its 20th birthday this month.

Greece

GRUPOS ARMADOS SILENCIAN A CRÍTICOS

Greece

DES GROUPES ARMÉS FONT TAIRE LES CRITIQUES

Greece

ARMED GROUPS SILENCING CRITICS

Armed groups in Greece are resorting to attacking media houses, non-governmental organisations and reporters themselves to silence them, report the Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM), the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) - an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).

Croatia

BOMBARDEO A DOS PERIODISTAS AMENAZA INTENTO DE CROACIA DE UNIRSE A LA UE

Croatia

LA MORT DE DEUX JOURNALISTES DANS UN ATTENTAT À LA BOMBE MENACE L'ENTRÉE DE LA CROATIE DANS L'UE

Croatia

BOMBING OF TWO JOURNALISTS THREATENS CROATIA'S BID TO JOIN EU

It has been called one of the most serious attacks on press freedom in years in the entire South East European region, one that could seriously damage Croatia's bid to join the European Union: two journalists were killed in a car bombing in Croatia, report the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), and other IFEX members.

Greece

DEFENSOR DE DERECHOS DE LAS MINORÍAS ACOSADO Y PERSEGUIDO

Greece

LES DÉFENSEURS DES DROITS DES MINORITÉS SONT HARCELÉS ET POURSUIVIS

Greece

MINORITY RIGHTS DEFENDERS HARASSED AND PROSECUTED

Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM) released on 17 August 2008 a report on harassment, defamation and prosecution of minority rights defenders - including GHM - in Greece.

Serbia

MANIFESTANTES ATACAN A PERIODISTA QUE CUBRÍA ARRESTO DE KARADZIC

Serbia

DES MANIFESTANTS S'EN PRENNENT À DES JOURNALISTES QUI COUVRAIENT L'ARRESTATION DE KARADZIC

Serbia

PROTESTERS ATTACK JOURNALISTS COVERING KARADZIC'S ARREST

Journalists covering the arrest of the Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic are continuing to be harassed and attacked, say the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM), Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).

Serbia

EMISORA INDEPENDIENTE AMENAZADA Y SITIADA

Montenegro

UN RADIODIFFUSEUR INDÉPENDANT EST MENACÉ ET ASSIÉGÉ

Montenegro

INDEPENDENT BROADCASTER THREATENED AND BESIEGED

A popular independent media outlet has come under attack in Serbia following Kosovo's declaration of independence, report the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

Greece

MIEMBRO DE IFEX SE VUELVE BLANCO DE CAMPAÑA DE ODIO

Greece

UN MEMBRE DE L'IFEX FAIT L'OBJET D'UNE CAMPAGNE DE HAINE

Greece

IFEX MEMBER BECOMES TARGET OF HATE CAMPAIGN

An anti-racism activist has become the target of a hate campaign after giving evidence in the trial of a Greek author who denies the Holocaust, reports the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT).

Bulgaria

BULGARIAN JOURNALIST WINS 2007 DR. ERHARD BUSEK-SEEMO AWARD

Bulgarian Milena Dimitrova, commentator for the Sofia newspaper "Trud", is this year's winner of the Dr. Erhard Busek-SEEMO 2007 Award. Dimitrova, who holds a PhD in journalism and teaches investigative journalism at a Sofia university, has also been a reporter and presenter of a TV programme dedicated to exposing corruption, and has written for the Bulgarian weekly "168 Hours" and the daily "Debati".

Slovenia

UNO DE CADA CINCO PERIODISTAS FIRMÓ PETICIÓN CONTRA RESTRICCIONES A MEDIOS

Slovenia

UN JOURNALISTE SUR CINQ SIGNE LA PÉTITION CONTRE LES RESTRICTIONS SUR LES MÉDIAS

Slovenia

ONE IN FIVE JOURNALISTS SIGNS PETITION AGAINST MEDIA RESTRICTIONS

Nearly one in five professional journalists in Slovenia has signed a petition against censorship and political pressures in the country, report the International Press Institute (IPI), the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ).

Macedonia

REVOCAN LEY DE DIFAMACIÓN PENAL

Macedonia

ABROGATION DE LA LOI PÉNALE SUR LA DIFFAMATION

Macedonia

CRIMINAL DEFAMATION LAW REPEALED

Journalists in Macedonia can no longer be jailed for defamation offences, thanks to an amendment to the criminal code passed by Macedonia's parliament on 10 May 2006, says Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF).

Montenegro

Un donateur néerlandais administrera un Fonds pour les médias serbes

Serbia

Donante holandés administrará Fondo de Medios de Serbia

Bulgaria

ATAQUE CON BOMBAS CONMOCIONA COMUNIDAD DE MEDIOS

Montenegro

Dutch Donor to Manage Serbia Media Fund

18 April 2006

Bulgaria

UN ATTENTAT À LA BOMBE ÉBRANLE LA COMMUNAUTÉ DES MÉDIAS

Bulgaria

BOMB ATTACK LEAVES MEDIA COMMUNITY SHAKEN

In Bulgaria, a bomb attack against a journalist known for investigating corruption has shaken the country's journalism community, report the International Press Institute (IPI), Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

Macedonia

INSTAN A MACEDONIA A FORTALECER PROYECTO DE LEY DE TRANSPARENCIA

Macedonia

LA MACÉDOINE EST PRIÉE DE RENFORCER SON AVANT-PROJET DE LOI SUR LA TRANSPARENCE

Macedonia

MACEDONIA URGED TO STRENGTHEN DRAFT TRANSPARENCY LAW

ARTICLE 19 is putting pressure on the Macedonian government over a proposed law it says contains "serious flaws" that must be speedily addressed if citizens are to gain the right to access information held by public bodies.

Serbia

PERIODISTA MUERE POR HERIDAS DE BALA; EDITOR RECIBE AMENAZA DE MUERTE

Montenegro

UN JOURNALISTE MEURT DES SUITES DE BLESSURES PAR BALLES;

Montenegro

JOURNALIST DIES FROM GUNSHOT WOUNDS, EDITOR RECEIVES DEATH THREAT

Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF) is calling on the UN Mission in Kosovo to investigate the slaying of Bardehul Ajeti, a journalist for the leading Albanian-language daily newspaper "Bota Sot" who died on 25 June 2005.

Serbia

ARTICLE 19 PROMUEVE LIBERTAD DE INFORMACIÓN EN MONTENEGRO

Montenegro

ARTICLE 19 PROMOTES FREEDOM OF INFORMATION IN MONTENEGRO

ARTICLE 19 joined free expression activists from Southeast Europe last week for an international seminar in Montenegro aimed at supporting local efforts to push for more open governments.

Montenegro

LA FIJ CRITIQUE UN RAPPORT DE L'OSCE SUR LE KOSOVO

Montenegro

UN RÉDACTEUR EN CHEF EST ASSASSINÉ

Serbia

SEENPM presenta investigación de propiedad de medios de comunicación

Serbia

FIP CRITICA INFORME DE OSCE SOBRE KOSOVO

Serbia

EDITOR ASESINADO

Montenegro

IFJ CRITICISES OSCE REPORT ON KOSOVO

A report by the Organization of Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which criticises Kosovo's media for inflaming ethnic conflicts last March, sends the wrong message to governments and risks damaging the efforts of press freedom advocates, says the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).

Montenegro

EDITOR MURDERED

Five IFEX members are calling on authorities in Serbia and Montenegro to pursue a thorough investigation into the murder of Dusko Jovanovic, the editor-in-chief of the opposition newspaper "Dan" who was shot and killed in the city of Podgorica on 28 May 2004.

Serbia

OSCE critica "informes sensacionalistas" de medios de Kosovo

Montenegro

L'OSCE critique le « sensationnalisme » des médias au Kosovo

Montenegro

OSCE Criticises Kosovo Media's "Sensationalist Reporting"

Broadcast media in Kosovo did a great disservice to peace and democracy efforts by partly fueling the ethnic violence which saw 19 people killed in March 2004 and hundreds of Serbian homes set ablaze, says the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE) Representative on Media Freedom.

Croatia

Des bibliothécaires croates font la promotion de l'accès à l'information

Croatia

Bibliotecarios croatas promueven acceso a la información

Croatia

CROATIAN LIBRARIANS PROMOTE ACCESS TO INFORMATION

To mark Human Rights Day on 10 December, the Croatian Library Association Committee for Freedom of Expression and Free Access to Information is hosting its third annual round table discussion in Zagreb on improving public access to library services.

Montenegro

« PLUS ÇA CHANGE... »

Serbia

"CUANTO MÁS CAMBIAN LAS COSAS"

Montenegro

"THE MORE THINGS CHANGE…"

Three years after the fall of former dictator Slobodan Milosevic and the introduction of democracy, the ghosts of Serbia and Montenegro's repressive past still appear to be haunting the country's media, says a new report by the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM).

Montenegro

DES MÉDIAS INDÉPENDANTS OUVRENT UNE PREMIÈRE PRESSE À IMPRIMER

Serbia

MEDIOS INDEPENDIENTES ABREN PRIMER TALLER DE IMPRESIÓN

Montenegro

INDEPENDENT MEDIA OPEN FIRST PRINTING PLANT

Serbia and Montenegro's fledgling media now have a printing plant to call their own, thanks to support from the World Association of Newspapers (WAN). The Association of Private Media, a local consortium of 12 independent newspapers, has recently opened a new printing plant in Belgrade - the first in the country owned by independent media.

Montenegro

DES MÉDIAS SONT INTERDITS APRÈS L?ASSASSINAT DE DJINDJIC

Serbia

IMPONEN PROHIBICIÓN DE MEDIOS TRAS ASESINATO DE DJINDJIC

Montenegro

MEDIA BAN IMPOSED AFTER DJINDJIC ASSASSINATION

In the wake of the assassination of Serbian prime minister Zoran Djindjic last week and the imposition of a state of emergency, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on the Serbian government to maintain the free flow of information following news that restrictions have been placed on the media.

Serbia

CONFERENCIA EXAMINA LEYES DE DIFAMACIÓN

Montenegro

UNE CONFÉRENCE SE PENCHE SUR LA DIFFAMATION

Montenegro

CONFERENCE EXAMINES DEFAMATION LAWS

Serbia's defamation laws and their impacts on journalists will come under the microscope this week when legal experts, journalists, judges and government officials meet in Belgrade for a conference promoting legal reform.

Montenegro

DES PROJETS DE LOI SUR LA LIBRE EXPRESSION COURENT DE GRAVES DANGERS

Serbia

PROYECTOS DE LEY DE LIBRE EXPRESIÓN EN RIESGO

Montenegro

DRAFT FREE-EXPRESSION LAWS IN JEOPARDY

The Association of Independent Media (ANEM), ARTICLE 19, Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) have expressed concerns that a parliamentary coalition which controls two-thirds of Montenegro's municipalities is trying to scuttle three proposed media laws that would improve free expression in the fledgling republic.

Serbia

NUEVA LEY DE MEDIOS CREA DIFUSORA INDEPENDIENTE

Montenegro

LOI SUR LES MÉDIAS VOIT LA CRÉATION D?UN NOUVEAU RADIODIFFUSEUR INDÉPENDANT

Montenegro

NEW MEDIA LAW CREATES INDEPENDENT BROADCASTER

Almost two years after the fall of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic's regime, the Serbian parliament has passed a law that will transform the country's state-run radio and television network into an independent public broadcaster and give it the authority to issue licences to new media, report the Association of the Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) and Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF).

Montenegro

DE RENSEIGNEMENT EST CONDAMNÉ À DIX ANS DE PRISON POUR UNE ATTAQUE CONTRE L?OTAN

Serbia

EX DIRECTOR DE RTS SENTENCIADO A 10 AÑOS POR ATAQUE DE OTAN

Montenegro

FORMER RTS HEAD SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS FOR NATO ATTACK

The former head of Radio-Television Serbia (RTS) has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for failing to protect 16 staff killed in a NATO missile attack in 1999, report B92, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). On 21 June a district court in Belgrade ruled that Dragoljub Milanovic had caused "grave danger to public security" by failing to evacuate staff from the RTS building before it was hit by a cruise missile on 23 April 1999. Milanovic's lawyer plans to appeal the verdict.

Albania

MEDIOS ESTÁN "LEJOS DE SER LIBRES", DICE HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH

Albania

LES MÉDIAS ?LOIN D?ÊTRE LIBRES? DIT HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH

Albania

MEDIA "FAR FROM FREE," SAYS HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH

More than a decade after Albania's transition from hardline communist dictatorship to fledgling democracy, journalists still risk harassment, physical assaults and criminal defamation lawsuits, often by authorities, says Human Rights Watch (HRW). In a 60-page report released last week, the organisation says the media, haunted by the legacy of the previous regime, remain "far from free" in Albania.

Serbia

CPJ Y ANEM INSTAN A APROBAR LEY DE DIFUSIÓN

Montenegro

DEMANDENT INSTAMMENT L?ADOPTION D?UNE LOI SUR LA RADIODIFFUSION

Montenegro

CPJ, ANEM URGE PASSAGE OF BROADCASTING LAW

The Committee to Protect Journalists is urging the Serbian Parliament to pass a draft Broadcasting Law that would create an independent licensing agency and transform state-run Radio Television Serbia (RTS) into a public broadcasting service. The law was approved by the government on 4 April and has been passed to parliament for urgent consideration.

Serbia

LEY DE MEDIOS INCORPORA NORMAS DE UE

Montenegro

LA LOI SUR LES MÉDIAS INTÈGRE DES NORMES DE L?UNION EUROPÉENNE

Montenegro

MEDIA LAW INCORPORATES EU STANDARDS

A proposed media law currently being drafted by the government of Montenegro establishes an important statement of intent by incorporating the principles and legal precedents of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), says ARTICLE 19. The group has published a report suggesting further improvements to the law, which has recently been released for public comment and is slated to replace the 1998 Law on Public Information.

Montenegro

DE LA STATION DE RADIO B92 EST BROUILLÉ; LE DIRIGEANT DE L?ANEM EST MENACÉ

Serbia

: INTERFIEREN SEÑAL DE RADIO B92; AMENAZAN A DIRIGENTE DE ANEM

Montenegro

RADIO B92'S SIGNAL JAMMED; ANEM LEADER THREATENED

Radio B92 is urging the federal government in Yugoslavia to pass legislation that would regulate broadcasting, after its radio signal was recently jammed for several days by another unlicensed station, reports the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM). Radio B92 broadcasts on 92.5 Mhz, which covers part of the city centre and a major portion of New Belgrade. According to ANEM, the interference is being caused by Radio Perper, a station which began broadcasting four months ago from New Belgrade. It broadcasts on a frequency of 92.8 Mhz, with its transmitters turned towards the city.

Bulgaria

FIP INSTA A UNA REFORMA GENUINA POR DIFUSIÓN PÚBLICA

Bulgaria

LA FIJ DEMANDE INSTAMMENT UNE VRAIE RÉFORME DE LA RADIODIFFUSION PUBLIQUE

Bulgaria

IFJ URGES GENUINE REFORM FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING

Bulgaria's leaders "must move quickly" to create a genuine public broadcasting system, urges the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in a press release published on 7 November 2001. IFJ recently sent a delegation to the country to meet with local journalist unions and assess the current state of broadcasting.

Montenegro

UN JOURNALISTE PERD LA VIE

Serbia

PERIODISTA ASESINADO

Montenegro

JOURNALIST KILLED

Bekim Kastrati, a reporter for the Albanian-language newspaper "Bota Sot", was killed in an ambush on 19 October in Kosovo, report the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters sans frontières (RSF). According to RSF, the journalist was traveling in a car with two other men when they were overtaken by a jeep and fired upon. CPJ says the attack took place in the village of Lausa. One of the men with whom Kastrati was travelling, Besim Dajaku, also died from the attack. He is reported to be either the current or former bodyguard of Ibrahim Rugova, the leader of the Democratic Alliance of Kosovo (LDK), according to CPJ.

Serbia

ESTADO DE LOS MEDIOS DE CAÍDA DE MILOSEVIC

Montenegro

SITUATION DE LA PRESSE APRÈS LA CHUTE DE MILO

Montenegro

STATE OF THE MEDIA AFTER FALL OF MILOSEVIC

Since the fall of the Milosevic regime, some advances in Serbia's media sector have taken place, but high hopes were overly optimistic, reports the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM). In a detailed report entitled "Media in Serbia – Ten Months On" released on 27 August, ANEM states that "it appears that more substantial systemic changes have bypassed the media sphere."

Serbia

PERIODISTA ASESINADO; ANEM CONDENA VENTA DE TRATADO ANTISEMÍTICO

Montenegro

UN JOURNALISTE ASSASSINÉ; L?ANEM DÉNONCE LA VENTE DE LITTÉRATURE ANTI-SÉMITE

Montenegro

JOURNALIST KILLED; ANEM CONDEMNS SALE OF ANTI-SEMITIC TRACT

Milan Pantic, a journalist with the Belgrade daily "Vecernje Novosti", was killed in a brutal 11 June attack in the central Serbian town of Jagodina, according to Reporters sans frontières (RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Pantic was entering his front door, after fetching a loaf of bread, when attackers grabbed him from behind, broke his neck and struck him several times in the head with a sharp object, "Vecernje Novosti" told CPJ. He reported extensively on criminal affairs, including corruption in local companies, and had received numerous telephone threats in response to his articles, says CPJ. Pantic was the first journalist killed in Serbia since the fall of the Slobodan Milosevic's regime last October, notes RSF.

Serbia

POR DISCURSO DEL ODIO EN MEDIOS; CPJ PIDE MÁS APOYO PARA MEDIOS INDEPENDIENTES

Montenegro

HAINEUX; LE CPJ RÉCLAME UN PLUS GRAND APPUI AUX JOURNALISTES INDÉPENDANTS

Montenegro

ANEM PROTESTS HATE SPEECH IN MEDIA; CPJ URGES MORE SUPPORT FOR INDEPENDENT MEDIA

The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) has strongly protested the practice of making space available for hate speech in the print media "under the pretext of openness towards the readers and obligation to publish their letters." The association's remarks come in response to a letter by Borislav Bogdanov, published in the Belgrade daily "Glas javnosti" on 13 May, about a televised discussion of documentary films on the theme of "Truth, Responsibility and Reconciliation." According to ANEM, Bogdanov tried to discredit the programme's guests on religious and national grounds, declaring that Serbs were being "naive once again" for allowing a person of "Roma descent and Muslim religious background in the very capital of the Serb people" to dispute "the primacy of the Serbs in Kosovo." ANEM calls on the media in Serbia to adhere to professional and ethical standards, to prevent attempts to re-introduce hate speech as an acceptable mode of communication and to avoid participating in defamation or discrimination through publishing such letters. For more information, see www.b92.net.">http://www.b92.net">www.b92.net.

Serbia

IPI EXHORTA A REVOCAR LEYES DE DIFAMACIÓN, EX DIRECTOR DE TV DETENIDO EN CASO DE

Montenegro

IPI URGES REPEAL OF DEFAMATION LAWS, EX-TV DIRECTOR HELD IN NATO CASE

The Serbian government should repeal repressive defamation laws and amend Criminal Code provisions that restrict freedom of expression, say the International Press Institute (IPI) and its affiliate the South East European Media Organisation (SEEMO). In a new report, entitled "Articles in Bad Faith: Criminal Defamation Laws in Serbia," the organisations note that defamation should be dealt with under civil rather than criminal law. They add that so-called insult laws have been used by repressive regimes, including the previous Yugoslav administration, to silence critical reporting and stifle dissident views. According to SEEMO, "the first and most important step for the new administration is to create a climate in which a free and independent media can flourish." IPI adds that repeal of the defamation provisions would "send a strong message to other countries that there is no place for these repressive laws in a democracy." The report is available at http://www.freemedia.at/r_serbialegislation.htm.">http://www.freemedia.at/r_serbialegislation.htm">http://www.freemedia.at/r_serbialegislation.htm.

Macedonia

LEY DE INFORMACIÓN PÚBLICA CAUSA ALARMA EN IPI, FIP Y ARTICLE 19

Macedonia

LA LOI SUR L?INFORMATION PUBLIQUE INQUIÈTE L?IIP, LA FIJ ET ARTICLE 19

Macedonia

PUBLIC INFORMATION LAW ALARMS IPI, IFJ & ARTICLE 19

Macedonia’s draft Public Information Law will have extremely negative consequences for press freedom, say ARTICLE 19, the International Press Institute (IPI), and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). The organisations see a number of serious problems with the text, starting with the conditions outlined for limiting freedom of expression. The European Convention on Human Rights does permit some restrictions on the right to freedom of expression and information. However, Macedonia's draft law fails to qualify these restrictions by making clear that they must be "necessary in a democratic society."

Serbia

¿FUERON SACRIFICADOS PERIODISTAS EN BOMBARDEO DE TV EN 1999?

Montenegro

LES JOURNALISTES ONT-ILS ÉTÉ SACRIFIÉS DANS UN BOMBARDEMENT ?

Montenegro

WERE JOURNALISTS SACRIFICED IN 1999 TV BOMBING?

On 26 January, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) repeated its call for Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica to hold a "public and independent inquiry" into the deaths of media workers at Radio Television Serbia (RTS) during the war with NATO. On 23 April 1999, 16 media workers were killed when NATO forces bombed RTS. According to Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) and IFJ, on 23 January, UN war crimes prosecutor Carla del Ponte stated that Slobodan Milosevic's authorities knew in advance that Serbian state television would be bombed. IFJ reports that the families of the victims are taking legal action against the station's management on the suspicion that the latter knew the building was a target, but kept the station open anyhow. "If [del Ponte] is right, there is a scandal here that must be uncovered," says the IFJ. "The question must be asked whether the lives of TV workers were deliberately sacrificed to make a propaganda point for the Milosevic regime."

Serbia

ANEM PIDE REVISIÓN DE MEDIOS; OTRAS NOTICIAS

Montenegro

L?ANEM RÉCLAME LA RÉVISION DU STATUT DES MÉDIAS; AUTRES NOUVELLES

Montenegro

ANEM CALLS FOR REVIEW OF MEDIA, OTHER NEWS

The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) is calling on Serbian and Yugoslav authorities to carry out a legal audit of media outlets that demonstrated a Milosevic bias in their reporting. "Certain privately-owned quasi-state media were primary levers of Slobodan Milosevic's power during his autocratic regime," states ANEM. At a time when most independent media groups were banned or blocked from functioning, these media groups profited from enormous privileges which enabled them to build a strong national and financial base. These same groups have now "attempted to fawn on the new authorities as they did the previous authorities, while seeking to attract foreign investment by putting themselves forward as strategic partners for foreign corporations in order to use these connections to preserve their illegally achieved positions," warns ANEM. ANEM thus calls for "a complete review of the operation of these private telecommunications monopolies," and urges all foreign investors to "display extreme caution before investing in private companies and similar organisations whose power was built illegally under the protection of the autocratic regime."

Montenegro

FILIPOVIC EST CONDAMNÉ À SEPT ANS DE PRISON

Montenegro

FILIPOVIC RECEIVES SEVEN-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE

Many members of the IFEX community have responded in outrage to the news that Serbian journalist Miroslav Filipovic has received a seven-year jail sentence for "espionage" and "spreading false information." On 26 July, Filipovic, a correspondent for the independent daily "Danas" and Agence France-Presse was sentenced by the Nis military court. The journalist was arrested and detained twice in the month of May by the security police. First charged on 13 June, "the indictment was based on articles about the activities of the Yugoslavian army," in which he "had notably gathered testimonies by members of the Yugoslavian army, condemning Serbian acts of violence in Kosovo," reports Reporters sans frontières (RSF).

Serbia

ESCALADA DE REPRESIÓN A MEDIOS INDEPENDIENTES Y DE OPOSICIÓN, OTRAS NOTICIAS

Montenegro

DES MÉDIAS INDÉPENDANTS ET D?OPPOSITION PREND DE L?AMPLEUR; AUTRE NOUVELLES

Montenegro

REPRESSION OF OPPOSITION AND INDEPENDENT MEDIA ESCALATES, OTHER NEWS

State violence against opposition activists is escalating, says Human Rights Watch (HRW). Whereas police harassment and beatings were previously "limited mostly to detention and interrogation," an increasing number of students and activists have been beaten in recent weeks by police or "thugs" believed to be acting on behalf of Serbian authorities. "Since June, opposition activists face not only detention but also physical violence," reports HRW. Representatives of Otpor (Resistance), an anti-government group which the government has repeatedly referred to as a "fascist" and "terrorist" organisation, are being beaten for carrying Otpor information or the Otpor symbol. Otpor, which has rapidly gained in popularity and support, "has repeatedly demanded free elections in Serbia and carried out street actions ridiculing the government's policies," says HRW.

Serbia

FILIPOVIC RECIBE SENTENCIA DE PRISIÓN DE SIETE AÑOS

Montenegro

S?ATTIRENT LES CRITIQUES À LA SUITE DU RENFORCEMENT DES CONTRÔLES SUR LA PRESSE

Serbia

CRITICAN CONTROLES DE PRENSA DE ONU

Montenegro

UN PRESS CONTROLS CRITICIZED

The United Nations mission in Kosovo announced new media controls on 17 June, prompting criticism by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC). Bernard Kouchner, head of the UN Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK), has appointed a Media Commissioner with a wide range of powers to fine, close or suspend publications.

Montenegro

INTERNATIONAL PRESS FREEDOM CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED IN SERBIA

On 30 March 2000, freedom of expression groups, journalists, publishers and broadcasters launched the international campaign "Prime Time for Freedom" for the defence of independent media and free journalism in Serbia, announced the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM).

Montenegro

LE GOUVERNEMENT MENACE LES MÉDIAS

Serbia

GOBIERNO AMENAZA MEDIOS INDEPENDIENTES

Montenegro

GOVERNMENT THREATENS INDEPENDENT MEDIA

On 10 February, Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia Vojislav Seselj "threatened violence" against independent journalists in Serbia, accusing them of killing Yugoslav Defence Minister Pavle Bulatovic, report Human Rights Watch (HRW), Reporters sans frontières (RSF), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), and the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM). Bulatovic was killed in a Belgrade restaurant on 7 February, and no one has yet been convicted for the murder. Seselj accused independent journalists of being guilty of treason "worse than any criminals" and of being accomplices with the West, says HRW. ANEM reports that earlier this year the Federal Minister for Telecommunications Ivan Markovic also accused some of the most prominent independent media in Serbia of being "weapons in the hands of NATO." According to ANEM, Seselj "announced that the state would use all means at its disposal to do away with independent journalists." Specifically, Seselj targeted the radio station B292, claiming that the group had received American money and was hiding foreign spies, says IFJ. ANEM states that in addition to invoking various laws, the Deputy Prime Minister "warned of the possibility of summary executions."

Greece

AUTOCENSURA DE MEDIOS CRECE

Greece

L?AUTOCENSURE PERSISTE DANS LES MÉDIAS

Greece

MEDIA'S SELF-CENSORSHIP CONTINUES

Although the Greek media were generally free in 1999, self-censorship continues to be a common practice among journalists in Greece, say the Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM) and the Minority Rights Group-Greece (MRG-G) in its annual report of human rights for 1999. The groups state that in 1999, self-censorship was evident in media coverage of "sensitive, national issues," but was also commonplace among journalists in the coverage of the NATO air strikes in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The report, entitled "Human Rights in Greece: Joint Concise Annual Report for 1999," details cases in which journalists were prosecuted and/or imprisoned for libel, defamation and "the publication of leaked confidential documents." A number of journalists also faced assault or lost their jobs due to their work, says GHM and MRG-G. The report, however, also addresses the media's participation in or propagation of "hostility and hate speech" towards some human rights and minority organisations.

Serbia

DISCURSO DEL ODIO EN AUMENTO

Montenegro

LE PHÉNOMÈNE DU DISCOURS HAINEUX PREND DE L?AMPLEUR

Montenegro

HATE SPEECH ON THE RISE

Hate speech is becoming increasingly prevalent in the media in Kosovo, Reporters sans frontières (RSF), Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)'s Representative on Freedom of the Media report. On 2 October, Veton Surroi and

Bulgaria

DESAFÍAN CONTROL GUBERNAMENTAL SOBRE INTERNET

Bulgaria

ON CONTESTE LE CONTRÔLE DU GOUVERNEMENT SUR INTERNET

Bulgaria

GOVERNMENT CONTROL OF INTERNET CHALLENGED

There is growing fear within Bulgaria that the government is attempting to control use of the Internet, Peter Kanev reports in the International Press Institute’s (IPI) most recent “IPI Report.” According to Kanev, Bulgaria’s Committee of Posts and Telecommunications (CPT) proposed last December that a number of new requirements be placed on Internet service providers (ISPs), through whom thousands of Bulgarians access the Internet. The statutes require ISPs to pay a fee to the CPT, a ministry agency, and to use the state-owned Bulgarian Telecommunications Company’s lines. Further, contrary to earlier announcements, CPT’s Chief Executive, Antoni Slavinski, has announced that Internet content may be scrutinized by the CPT.

Montenegro

REAL RADIO B92 BACK ON AIR

On 2 August, the award-winning independent Radio B92 in Belgrade came back on the air under the new name of B2-92 four months after being taken over by the Serbian government, reports the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM). Not only did the government take over the station after Yugoslav telecommunications authorities banned Radio B92 on 24 March, it began broadcasting on the same frequency and installed a government supporter at its head on 2 April. The station continued to broadcast on the Internet through ANEM's Radio and Television Networks until the takeover. According to B2-92, its news "is produced by the real team of Radio B92, all of whom refused to work for the new government management currently using the B92 name and frequency, and [B2-92] is broadcast on the third frequency 99.1 FM of the Belgrade municipal station Studio B." Actions against the real B92 led to a massive international campaign. The launch of B2-92 "is part of a broader campaign to restore Radio B92 to its listeners and its rightful owners - its staff," says B2-92. The campaign will continue with public actions in Belgrade, cyberspace and worldwide. For more information, visit B2-92's website at:

Montenegro

MENACER LES MÉDIAS ET LA LIBRE CIRCULATION DE L?INFORMATION

Serbia

AMENAZANDO A MEDIOS Y LIBRE FLUJO DE INFORMACIÓN

Montenegro

MILITARY CONFLICT CONTINUES TO THREATEN MEDIA AND FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Journalists from Kosovo, many of whom had fled after being expelled from their offices and homes, have reassembled to launch their professional association, the Alliance of Kosova Journalists, from headquarters in exile in London. Committees of Alliance members have also now been established in Albania and in the Republic of Macedonia. The International Federation of Journalists, which has set up a global appeal on behalf of Kosovar journalists and media staff, explains that "the Alliance will ensure that when the peace comes, journalists and independent media will be in the forefront of the campaign to bring democracy and respect for human rights back into Kosovo."

Bulgaria

COALICIÓN PIDE REVISIÓN DE LEYES DE MEDIOS

Bulgaria

UNE COALITION DEMANDE LA RÉVISION DES LOIS SUR LES MÉDIAS

Bulgaria

COALITION CALLS FOR REVIEW OF MEDIA LAWS

A coalition of journalists' unions and free expression groups in Bulgaria has called for a review of the country's media laws, reports the International Press Institute (IPI). Delegates at the "Bulgarian Free Press; Fair Press" conference in Sofia on 29 and 30 April adopted a resolution calling for a review of the defamation laws and outlining recommendations for the draft Freedom of Information Act. The Committee on Culture and Media of Bulgaria's National Assembly has already proposed amendments to Articles 146/7/8 of the Penal Code which remove the penalty of going to prison for libel and defamation. However, defamation remains under the jurisdiction of the criminal rather than the civil code. With regard to access to information, the Bulgarian Media Coalition recommends that "in all laws and decisions concerning the right to obtain information, the public interest in knowing the information shall be the primary consideration."

Montenegro

FREE B92 LIVE INTERNET BROADCAST PLANNED FOR B92 ANNIVERSARY

To promote democracy and the "enduring free spirit" of Radio B92 from Belgrade, a 24-hour live Internet broadcast called Free B92 - NetAid will take place on 15 May, on Radio B92's 10th birthday.

Serbia

ESTACIÓN DE RADIO Y TV BOMBARDEADA

Montenegro

DES INSTALLATIONS DE RADIO ET DE TÉLÉVISION SONT BOMBARDÉES

Montenegro

RADIO AND TV STATION BOMBED

Journalists, technicians and other staff were killed when the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) bombed the Belgrade premises of Radio Television Serbia (RTS) early on 23 April, report the Association of Independent Electronic Media in Yugoslavia (ANEM), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). ANEM notes that the bombing occurred when staff were carrying out their normal duties in the building and says "this attack on journalists is without precedent and is the most radical form of repression of the media." Furthermore, ANEM "reiterates its call for the earliest possible halt to the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia and for a peaceful solution to the current crisis," and "calls for an end to attacks on journalists and the media."

Serbia

MEDIOS DE COMUNICACIÓN SENTENCIADOS CON NUEVA LEY

Montenegro

LES MÉDIAS SONT CONDAMNÉS EN VERTU D'UNE NOUVELLE LOI

Macedonia

SE INFORMA DE PREDISPOSICIÓN EN LOS MEDIOS DURANTE LAS ELECCIONES

Macedonia

ON RAPPORTE UN PARTI PRIS PENDANT LES ÉLECTIONS

Macedonia

MEDIA BIAS REPORTED DURING ELECTIONS

The media in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) provided diverse coverage of the parliamentary elections in October and November 1998, but ethnic or political bias was prevalent, according to monitoring done by the European Institute for the Media (EIM). In its final report, issued in January 1999 and entitled "Monitoring the media coverage of the October-November 1998 parliamentary elections in FYROM", the EIM writes, "the FYROM electronic media outlets, through their diversity, provided the electorate with a reasonably complete picture of the issues, parties and candidates in the elections." However, the EIM noticed "a general tendency" for the electronic media "to focus on parties from their own ethnic community," so that Macedonian parties received substantially more coverage from Macedonian-language media and likewise with the Albanian parties. The EIM noted a similar tendency in the print media to show bias by focussing "on parties from the ethnic community of their readers." For example, the partly state-owned newspaper "Nova Makedonija" "showed a pronounced anti-opposition slant in spite of its obligation... to report without bias." The EIM concludes, "The new government should refrain from attempting to control or influence editorial and managerial decisions in "Nova Makedonija"."

Bosnia and Herzegovina

CÓDIGO DE PRENSA LIMITARÍA LIBERTAD

Bosnia and Herzegovina

LE CODE SUR LA PRESSE POURRAIT CONSTITUER UNE LIMITE À LA LIBERTÉ

Bosnia and Herzegovina

PRESS CODE COULD LIMIT FREEDOM

On 25 February, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) criticised the draft press code proposed by the Independent Media Commission of Bosnia-Herzegovina (IMC), saying it could be used to restrict journalists. The IFJ said it was "too proscriptive and failed to provide journalists with an adequate basis for resolving ethical problems." IFJ General Secretary Aidan White said, "The draft code is full of ambiguous and vague provisions, which could easily be used to restrict free journalism." He continued, "The code tells journalists 'not to offend broad sections of the public.' Some of the best journalism we know does precisely that and generates public debate which can bring about positive change. One must wonder why the international community wants to keep Bosnian journalists from doing the same?" Moreover, White said, the definition of "the public interest... was restricted to actions that expose crime, protect public health and prevent the public from being misled.... This excludes a wide range of information which the public is entitled to know," including corruption by public officials.

Serbia

FREE2000 HACE RECOMENDACIONES ACERCA DE MEDIOS EN KOSOVO

Montenegro

FREE2000 FORMULE DES RECOMMANDATIONS SUR LE KOSOVO

Bulgaria

PERIODISTAS SE ENFRENTAN A CARGOS PENALES; INTERNET RESTRINGIDA

Bulgaria

RESTRICTIONS IMPOSÉES SUR L'INTERNET

Bulgaria

JOURNALISTS FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES; INTERNET RESTRICTED

Another journalist faces criminal charges based on accusations of libel and other "crimes" under Bulgarian law, report Reporters sans frontières (RSF) and the World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC). On 14 January, the prosecutor of the Republic, Ivan Tatarchev, opened a legal investigation of Tatiana Vaksberg, a journalist with the Bulgarian section of Radio Free Europe, accusing her of "attacking honour and dignity" and "insulting the authority of the state." If found guilty, the journalist faces two years in prison. Vaksberg broadcast a critical commentary about Tatarchev on 28 October 1998 suggesting he "was responsible for the impunity of many criminals in the country and might be prosecuted himself for failing to perform his duties," says RSF. WPFC says that prior to Vaksberg's report, Tatarchev had been "frequently discussed in similar terms by other news media" which were not prosecuted.

Serbia

PURGA EN UNIVERSIDADES SERBIAS

Montenegro

PURGE DES UNIVERSITÉS SERBES