BELGRADE, 25.10.2019. – The N1 TV Executive Producer Igor Bozic told the Istinomer website in an interview that the attacks on N1 derived from an overall odium against the TV.

 Asked about limits to courage and ethic in Serbia’s journalism, Bozic said that “endangering life is maybe a moment when one could rethink, but, fortunately, N1 still isn’t in such situation.”

Commenting on all sorts of attacks on N1 – verbal, threatening letters, accusations coming from the country’s top leadership, ban on reporting from ruling party events, publishing of the internal e-mail correspondence and TV Director’s personal data, and finally 500 leaflets reading “Republic of Serbia – Goodbye; N1 – Welcome to Luxembourg” – thrown into the yard of the building housing N1 – Bozic said all that was the consequence “of what some people hear and watch on mainstream media, TV channels with national frequency and what they are told by some representatives of the authorities.”

“My impression is that everyone took the gloves off. We now have direct insults… Goran Vesic, Deputy Mayor, described Jugoslav Cosic (the N1 Programme Director) a fascist mercenary, adding it is worse than being a fascist. Vesic was not happy with our report on the incident with his burned book,” Bozic said.

He added such brutal offences were a daily thing.

“Before it was enough to brand N1 as an American TV, but now it becomes necessary to humiliate all people who work here additionally.”

Bozic said that if “President Aleksandar Vucic is designing a media strategy,” he was cautious so that the attacks on N1 could not be linked to him directly.

“They (the attacks) derive from an overall hostility against us. He (Vucic) does not tell them to do that since he knows it wouldn’t look good in the international circles. Still, I’m convinced that there is a mechanism because you have Vucic’s sentences that are literally copied by his analysts and then spread arccos all media with national frequency. That is not a coincidence,” Bozic said.

He added that N1 owners had supported the freedom of speech and media since the beginning.

“Their aim has always been to have a respectable media, a positive business brand worth being proud of. I think that all of us who work with N1 managed to achieve that,” Bozic said.

He added he was surprised with the level of support N1 received from the colleagues who gathered in large number to protest against attacks on N1. “We did not ask for support, and nevertheless we got it,” Bozic said.

BEOGRAD, 25.10.2019. – Postoje svedoci da je tadašnji predsednik opštine Grocka Dragoljub Simonović izdao nalog za paljenje kuće novinara, izjavio je predsednik državne komisije za istraživanje ubistava novinara Veran Matić.

Mesec dana pre nego što je Jovanoviću zapaljena kuća, divljački je pretučen glavni urednik portala Željko Matorčević. Istraga slučaja nije dala nikakve rezultate, a kasnije smo saznali i zašto, jer je lokalna policija imala svoje učesnike u tom događaju, rekao je Matić za Danas.

On je ocenio da ne bi bilo lokalnog prikrivanja, a sigurno bi bila ispitana i uloga predsednika opštine da je tu istragu, uz policiju Grocke, vodio i specijalizovani tim za brze istrage dela protiv novinara.

Matić je konstatovao da trenutno ne postoje uslovi i okruženje za slobodan i bezbedan rad novinara u Srbiji.

“Trenutna atmosfera u društvu, kada je u pitanju bezbedan rad novinara, zatrovana je nekažnjivošću za govor mržnje i pretnje. Time što takav govor nije uopšte ili dovoljno kažnjavan, stvoren je utisak da je sve dozvoljeno, čak i poželjno u verbalnim obračunima”, ukazao je on.

Prema mišljenju Matića, u samom centru se nalazi politička i društvena elita, koja diktira snagu i obim nipodoštavanja, vređanja, diskreditovanja novinara i medija koji se bave istraživačkim novinarstvom, “ili su politički pročitani kao deo suprotnog tabora”.

Регионалната платформа за застапување на слободата на медиумите безбедноста на новинарите, која застапува повеќе од 8000 членови, најостро ги осудува заканите кон новинарите од онлајн магазинот „Журнал“ од БиХ, по низата написи за можен меѓународен криминал поврзан со перење пари и нарко картели.

Во видео пораката, која е снимена и испратена од лицето Мирза Гачанин, со живеалиште во Холандија, на авторот на текстот Авда Авдиќ, му било порачано дека ќе биде „баран во канали“ заради неговите текстови.

Регионалната платформа изразува сериозна загриженост за заканите и директното загрозување на безбедноста и животот на новинарот Авдо Авдиќ. Во време кога нападите врз новинарите, не само во земјите од Западен Балкан, туку и во цела Европа и во светот, завземаат сè поинтензивни и посериозни размери сметаме дека ваквите закани треба да бидат сериозно сфатени, а полицијата и судските органи мора да преземат ефективни правни мерки за да обезбедат заштита на новинарите и санкционирање на лицето кое ја испратило заканувачката видео порака.

„Новинарите од БИХ се одлучни во барањето до надлежните полициски органи и обвинителството во Босна и Херцеговина да ги преземат сите законски овластувања и мерки за заштита на безбедноста на новинарот како и по пат на меѓународна соработка да побараат соработка и со полицијата од Холандија со цел санкционирање на лицето кое ја испратило заканувачката видео-порака. Исто така, новинарите на БИХ и Линијата за помош на новинарите ќе ги информираат меѓународните организации за заштита на слободата на медиумите и безбедноста на новинарите за овој случај и ќе побараат нивна реакција“, рече Марко Дивковиќ, претседател на Здружението на новинари во БиХ.

Заканите упатени до новинарот на Журнал и неговото семејство се во исто време брутален напад врз слободата на изразување и слободата на медиумите. Било какви закани и притисоци не треба да бидат средство за справување со медиумите за да се изрази незадоволство од начинот на кој тие пишуваат за одредени лица или теми.

Регионалната платформа на Западен Балкан за застапување на слободата на медиумите и безбедност на новинарите ги повикува сите релевантни институции во Босна и Херцеговина и на меѓународно ниво да спроведат итна и ефикасна истрага за овој инцидент и во меѓувреме да ги преземат сите соодветни мерки за заштита на безбедноста на новинарот Авдиќ и неговото семејство.

Секој напад врз новинарите е напад врз јавниот интерес, демократијата и правата на сите граѓани.

Сараево – Подгорица – Загреб – Приштина – Скопје – Белград

Здружение / Новинари на БиХ
Сојуз на медиуми на Црна Гора
Здружение на новинари на Хрватска
Здружение на новинари на Косово
Здружение на новинарите на Македонија
Независно здружение на новинари на Србија

SARAJEVO, 24.10.2019. – The Steering Committee of the BH Journalists Association and the Free Media Help Line are making a public request to the MUP of Sarajevo Canton, the SIPA Security Agency and the competent prosecutor’s office to conduct an urgent and effective investigation into threats addressed to journalists of the portal „Žurnal“, after a series of articles on possible criminal activities related to money laundering and drug dealers.

In a video message, recorded and sent by a person named Mirza Gacanin, with a place of residence in the Netherlands, along with vulgar curses and mentions of the journalist’s children, it is widely said that the journalist will be “searched through canals”.

BHJA and the Free Media Help Line consider this a serious threat to the safety and life of journalists, first of all Avdo Avdic, author of a series of articles followed by these threats, but also of all others in the newsroom dealing with crime-related topics. Endangering and threats to the safety of journalists are a criminal act and especially brutal attack on the freedom of expression and safety of journalists, and should not be a means of dealing with the media and expressing dissatisfaction with the way journalists write about certain persons or topics.

Therefore, we urge the relevant police authorities and the prosecutor’s offices in BiH to take all legal powers and measures to protect the safety of journalists, and to seek cooperation with the police from the Netherlands through international legal assistance in order to sanction the person who sent the threatening video message.

BH Journalists and the Free Media Help Line will inform international organizations for the protection of the media freedom and safety of journalists about this case and request their reaction, and take the necessary internalization measures of this entire case.

The Steering Committee of BH Journalists Association

24.10.2019. – Kosovo Police detained four Serbian journalists from Radio Belgrade at a police station in Southern Kosovska Mitrovica on Friday, 4 October for six hours. On the same day, Pink Television and Tanjug News Agency crews were held up for several hours at Jarinje administrative crossing.

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins its Serbian affiliates the Journalists’ Association of Serbia (UNS), the Independent Journalists’ Association (NUNS) and the Journalists’ Union of Serbia (SINOS) in supporting their protest for the protection of journalists and the right of informing freely.

The Radio Belgrade crew, which included journalist Nataša Aćimović, sound technician Aleksandar Bojović, producer Svetlana Stevanović and driver Marko Pavlović, claimed that the police stopped them, searched the official vehicle of Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) and frisked the journalists as criminals with their hands on the car and their legs spread.

Radio Belgrade spokesman Aleksandar Bojović said they were tied up in the car and the officer opened the door and pulled him outside.

That’s when the more aggressive part of the story started. I don’t know how to describe it, it was not stress, it was just anger. Why? We’re journalists, we were here to report

The radio crew was taken to a police station in South Mitrovica for questioning, where their mobile phones were confiscated and they remained in custody for six hours without an explanation. The journalists were released and told that they should return to North Kosovska Mitrovica, as it was not safe to continue their trip to their original destination Gračanica. At the police station, the attitude towards the Radio Belgrade crew was correct.

On the same day, Pink Television’s crew of three and Tanjug News Agency’s team of five journalists were held up for several hours while heading to Kosovo to report on the elections.

Three weeks ago, the RTS crew were held up for 25 hours at Jarinje administrative crossing on the road to North Kosovska Mitrovica, despite timely submission of documentation necessary to enter the territory of Kosovo.

BEOGRAD, 23.10.2019. – Potpuno je sigurno da je sporni tekst Ištvana Kaića u kojem kleveće novinare posledica klime koju generišu predsednik Srbije i njegova stranka, ocenio je novinar Vukašin Obradović.

Redakcija lista Danas je saopštila juče da je “takozvani medijski analitičar Ištvan Kaić u tekstu na svom blogu, koji su preneli sajtovi Informera, Pinka i Srpskog telegrafa, na najgrublji način uvredio i oklevetao novinarku Danasa Snežanu Čongradin, kao i mnoge druge kolege iz slobodnih medija nazivajući ih narkomanima i alkoholičarima”.

Imajući u vidu da se u pomenutom tekstu i novinari N1 targetiraju, N1 je najavio da će preduzeti sve mere na zaštiti njihovog integriteta.

Ništa “odvratnije nije se pojavilo u srskom medijskom prostoru”, koji je već obilovao uvredama na račun novinara, rekao je Obradović govoreći o tom tekstu.

“Ono što je on napisao je gomila uvreda na račun pre svega novinara koji nisu pod kontrolom vlasti. One prevazilaze dosadašnji nivo, jer se otvoreno pripisuju ljudima i nakrkomanija i alkoholozima”, kaže on.

To je osnovni argumet cele priče, navodi Obradović i dodaje da je to ispod svakog civilizacijskog nivoa.

“Sloboda mišljenja kao svaka sloboda nije neograničena, ona je ograničena slobodom drugog, ovo su prostačke uvrede.. to je targetiranje nekih medija, a novinari koji su navedeni su kolateralna šteta”, rekao je.

Kako navodi Obradović, nastavlja se bitka koju vlast uporno vidi protiv malo nezavisnih medija, samo se prelazi na drugi teren.

“To je deo fronta, linije odbrane vlasti pre svega od vesti koje predstavljaju opasnost po režim, a jedino se mogu pročitati na ovim medijima”, dodaje.

Sasvim je jasno da vlast stoji iza tih napada i tu nema spora, ističe Obradović.

On smatra da će se ovakvi napada intenzivirati pred izbore.

“Biće još žešći pritisak, to će biti veliki pritisak i za ove medije”, navodi.

Obradović je rekao i da ne razume zašto je list Danas tražio da se Vučić distancira i osudi ovakvo pisanje.

Kako je rekao, “ne može neko ko je indirektni naručilac ovog teksta da se distancira”.

“Ne mogu da kažem da je Vučić rekao Ištvanu Kaiću da napiše tekst, ali potpuno sam siguran da je taj tekst posledica političke klime koju generiše predsednik Srbije i njegova stranka, i čudno je da od njega sad tražite da se distancira, ali mogu da shvatim to kao ukazivanje na onoga ko stoji iza svega, ako je to želja kolega iz Danasa”, kaže on.

Obradović je rekao da se plaši se da to ne bude najava nečega da ćemo imati svaki dan ovakve tekstove. Ne treba takvu mogućnost zanemariti.

Sarajevo, 22.10.2019. – The Communications Regulatory Agency (CRA) of Bosnia and Herzegovina has fined Federal Television (FTV) for violating Article 5 of the Audiovisual Media Services Code, which deals with fair and impartial reporting. A fine of 6.000 BAM was imposed.

This media outlet has a deadline of 15 days from receiving the decision to pay the penalty so that they do not have to pay default interest. The CRA warned that any repeated violation of the provisions of the relevant rules and regulations of the Agency may result in a more severe sanction.

The application was submitted by the BiH Ministry of Transport and Communications after being addressed by the Croatian Republican Party (HRS). The memo states that on January 14, FTV tentatively and incisively reported in their program “Network”, in which Croats and Serbs were accused and convicted of everything bad in BiH.

– After watching the show, viewers with superficial information about history and relations in BiH have the impression that Serbs are separatist bloodthirsty creatures, and Croats are traitors who do not hesitate to either banish or kill their people only to achieve their political visions about the entity – HRS said.

The decision came nine months after HRS first contacted the CRA and after contacting the BiH Ministry of Transport and Communication in September this year to react.