SKOPJE 17.07.2017 – The journalist Zoran Bozhinovski is released from custody, from the prison Shutka. The information was confirmed by the Macedonian court. After 15 months spent in custody, the court decided to abolish the detention and replace it with other measures of precaution.
“Acting on the proposal of the Public Prosecutor for the abolition of the measure of detention for the accused Z.B., who was accused in the case with KOK no. 79/16, the trial judge at the main hearing issued a decision by which the prosecutor’s proposal was accepted and the detention measure abolished, and according to the proposal, preventive measures were taken to ensure the defendant’s presence during the proceedings. The right to appeal against this decision is allowed within 3 days,” was the Court’s statement.
Association of Journalists of Macedonia insisted that Bozhinovski should be allowed to defend himself from freedom. Many times, AJM warned that keeping a journalist in custody for almost three years is an absolutely unnoticed practice in free and democratic countries.
Macedonia was the only country in the region that had a journalist in prison. “The release of Bozinovski will separate Macedonia from the group of authoritarian countries in Europe, such as Turkey, Russia and Azerbaijan, where journalists are persecuted,” said AJM President, Naser Selmani
Bozhinovski has been charged in the case “Spy” and was also charged for criminal conspiracy, espionage and blackmailing.