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Alert

Media crew assaulted by security officer

(IPI/IFEX) - The following is an 11 June 2008 press release by the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an IPI affiliate:

Vienna, 11 June 2008

SEEMO PRESS RELEASE KOSOVO

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), condemns the assault on staff members of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) in Kosovo.

According to BIRN, at approximately 1:30 pm on 6 June, members of its team were assaulted by a security staffer while filming outside of the Kosovo Judicial Council's premises in Pristina. BIRN stated that the reporters in no way endangered the safety of the building or interfered with the staff's work.

Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General, commented, "It is important for journalists to be able to work in an open environment, and the security staff of a judicial body should be setting a good example instead of interfering with that right."