Croatian authorities to react: 11th attack on journalists this year

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31/10/2017

Maja Sever — foto HINA /Zvonimir KUHTIÆ/ zk

ZAGREB, 31.10.2017. – The Western Balkan’s Regional Platform for Advocating Media Freedom and Journalists’ Safety, representing more than 7800 members, strongly condemns the death threat to Croatian Television (public media service) reporter Maja Sever.

She published at her Facebook threat she received, as she said, sent to her due to her story about refugees broadcasted on October 29. Along with offences and other abusive expressions the author of the message wrote: „If you want to live with Niggers, go live in England, France or USA, but do not promote that Freemason’s multicultural politics in Croatia.“ The message ended by mentioning execution. Maja Sever said that the message was sent by Croat living in Belgium.

Sasa Lekovic, Croatian Journalists’ Association (CJA) president, stated that threats and offences against Maja Sever were just the latest episodes of pressures against journalists, including even death threats, physical violence and even attempted murders.

In a last four years, CJA has documented 39 cases of threats and attacks against journalists in last years, but just some of them have been taken to court (court procedures are still on) or have been sanctioned.

In most of those solved cases, perpetrators did not even hide their identity. In other cases neither CJA nor attacked journalist got information about investigations; sometimes not even if they have been opened.

„We inform Croatian public, international journalists’ organizations and others dealing with media freedom about every case of attacking journalists and we call for an effective and prompt reaction of Croatian institutions“, says Lekovic. But he also states there is no political will to solve cases of attacked journalists. “Even more some of the politicians do additionally offend them by accepting attacks and that is clear message to relevant institutions not to take the protection of journalists seriously“, Lekovic added.

The Platform will send letters of concern to all relevant authorities in Croatia requesting them to prevent any form of violence against journalists, to urgently and thoroughly investigate all facts about this and other cases of violations. By doing so they will send a strong message to the public that such behavior is not acceptable. Also, The Platform will report the case to the Mapping media freedom Platform and Council of Europe to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists.

The Regional Platform strongly supports the Croatian Journalists Association and its efforts to protect journalists and freedom of speech. The Platform also calls on international organizations dealing with the protection of press freedom and the rights of journalists to induce relevant authorities to investigate the recent and other cases.

Attacking journalists is a direct attack on freedom of expression and the right of citizens to be informed. In 2017, Croatian Journalists Association recorded 11 attacks and threats on journalists.

BH Journalists Association
Trade Union of Media of Montenegro
Croatian Journalists’ Association
Association of Journalists of Kosovo
Association of Journalists of Macedonia
Independent Journalists Association Serbia

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Prijedlozi o unapređenju izbornog zakonodavstva će u novembru biti upućeni nadležnima

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BHJA

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31/10/2017

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SARAJEVO, 31.10.2017. – Prijedlozi za unapređenje izbornog zakonodavstva i obaveze medija i novinara u izbornom procesu predstavljeni su na današnjoj konferenciji za medije u EU Info Centru u Sarajevu, a organizatori su poručili da je inicijativa imala za cilj, prevashodno, da stane u zaštitu integriteta građana.

Prijedlozi unapređenja i izmjena Izbornog zakona BiH nastali su kao rezultat rada Konzorcija Udruženje BH novinari i agencije Boram zajedno s Koalicijom “Pod lupom” i aktivnostima u okviru projekta Monitoring medija u izbornom procesu.

Organizatori su poručili da će prijedlozi sredinom novembra biti upućeni Interresornoj radnoj grupi za izmjenu izbornog zakonodavstva BiH, ali su ujedno izrazili zabrinutost za to da li će političari te prijedloge ozbiljno shvatiti.

Predsjednik strateškog odbora Koalicije “Pod lupom” Vehid Šehić upozorio je na važeći Izborni zakon, budući da se zbog njega ne mogu provesti presude Ustavnog suda BiH, presuda u slučaju “Sejdić-Finci”…

“Izborni zakon je ogledalo da li je neka država demokratska ili nije. Izborni zakon BiH je do sada doživio neke izmjene, ali ne i one najznačajnije”, podsjetio je Šehić.

Ističe da je cijela inicijativa glede unapređenja izbornog zakonodavstva pokrenuta jer je organizatorima stalo do zaštite integriteta građana, ali je izrazio zabrinutost da ih političari ne shvataju ozbiljno.

Generalna sekretarka Udruženja “BH novinari” Borka Rudić istakla je da su prilikom izrade prijedloga za unapređenje i izmjene Izbornog zakona BiH konsultovali cijeli niz relevantnih institucija, među kojima je i Vijeće Evrope.

Također je navela da su preporuke medijma za predizborno izvještavanje napravljene uz pomoć finalnog izvještaja Monitoringa medija u izbornom procesu.

“Od 2010. godine može se govoriti o padu za više od 50 posto izbornih sadržaja u ukupnim medijskim sadržajima. Mediji su gurnuli u kraj predizbornu kampanju u medijskim sadržajima, što predstavlja problem i za građane”, kazala je Rudić, dodavši da se s druge strane potpuno izgubila edukativna uloga medija.

Dodala je da u medijima nije u prvi plan stavljen javni interes, već politički subjekti.

“Prošle godine smo imali najviše pojavljivanja predsjednika stranaka u medijiskim sadržajima, mnogo više nego kandidata na lokalnim izborima. Također je osjetna mala primjetnost kandidatkinja u izbornom sadržaju”, istakla je Rudić.

Pri izvještavanju o izborima identifikovan je također govor mržnje, koji je neprihvatljiv za medije. Primjetan je i nedostatak navođenja izvora informacija, pri čemu su izostala pozivanja na analize nevladinog sektora koje su, smatra Rudić, potrebne da bi se dobila različita perspektiva problema iz različitih izvora.

Zbog utvrđenih problema predstavnici Udruženja BH novinari i Koalicije Pod lupom podržali su prijedloge Interresorne radne grupe za promjenu Izbornog zakona BiH, koje se odnose na poglavlje “mediji u izbornoj kampanji”.

“U tim promjenama se drastičnije zabranjuje diskriminacija i govor mržnje u programima medija. Pojačava se princip jednakosti u besplatnim medijskim predstavljanjima na javnim RTV stanicama. Ubrzava se procedura rješavanja žalbi kod Regulatorne agencije za komunikacije. Obavezno je objavljivanje svih suprotstavljenih stavova bilo u istom programu ili u nizu drugih programa koji predstavljaju cjelinu u obradi odrađene tematike”, istakla je Rudić.

Također, sugerisano je da se zabrani tendenciozno promoviranje interesa jedne političke stranke ili bilo koje grupe i pojedinca kao i prevladavanje jednog mišljenja kada se radi o kontraverznim političkim, privrednim i drugim temama od javnog značaja.

Employees in RTV Pljevlja on the edge of existence

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TUMM

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30/10/2017

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PLJEVLJA, 30.10.2017. – Trade Union of Media of Montenegro sent a request for a meeting with the President of Pljevlja municipality Mirko Đačić due to four unpaid monthly earnings for employees in RTV Pljevlja, and unequal and discriminatory approach. The Union also informed about the situation US Embassy in Podgorica, as well as Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, British Embassy, and Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro.

Colleagues from the local public emitter RTV Pljevlja addressed us emphasizing that they did not receive four earnings (June, July, August, and September) and since October ends, it means that new, fifth monthly earning will be owned to them. They find this unreasonable especially at the time when we speak about media democratization in developing countries. This attitude will “silently” put an end to media.

“We would not be resigned and depressed if the employees in the local administration did not receive their earnings regularly. Discriminatory approach is what “kills” us because it is clear that Municipality has the money. We are as well working on the tasks of public interests, professionally and in accordance with the needs of the local community”, said our colleagues in their letter.

There are 31 employees in “RTV Pljevlja”, some are the only family members with income, there are couples employed, and most have credit debts. All this is enough to say that our colleagues from “RTV Pljevlja” are on edge of existence.

We believe that this problem has been ignored for a long time at local level and we all must engage to solve it.

CJA after threats to Maja Sever: There is no political will to deal with attacks on journalists

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CJA

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30/10/2017

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ZAGREB, 30.10.2017. – Croatian Radio Television (HRT) journalist Maja Sever published at her Facebook threat she received, as she said, sent to her due to her yesterday’s story about refugees. Croatian Journalists’ Association (CJA) finds it to be just the latest episode of pressure against journalists in Croatia showing lack of political will to solve attacks against journalists.

Along with offences and other abusive expressions the author of the message wrote: „If you want to live with Niggers, go live in England, France or USA, but do not promote that Freemason’s multicultural politics in Croatia.“ Message ended by mentioning execution.

Maja Sever said that the message was sent by Croat living in Belgium.

She added that she got the message due to the story she published about Prince Waleu Soniyiki, Nigerian, showing that not all refugee stories should be sad. Prince, who happened to come to Croatia at the beginning of 2011, was one of first refugees to get asylum in Croatia; today he runs the restaurant in the very center of Zagreb.

Saša Leković, CJA president, stated that threats and offences against Maja Sever were just the latest episode of pressures against journalists, including even death threats, physical violence and even attempted murders.

CJA has documented 38 cases of threats and attacks against journalists in last years, but just some of them have been taken to court (court procedures are still on) or have been sanctioned.

In most of those solved cases perpetrators did not even hide their identity. In other cases neither CJA nor attacked journalist got information about investigations; sometimes not even if they have been opened.

„We inform Croatian public, international journalists’ organizations and others dealing with media freedom about every case of attacking journalists and we call for effective and prompt reaction of Croatian institutions“, they say in the CJA. But they also state there is no political will to solve cases of attacked journalists. “Even more some of politicians do additionally offend them by accepting attacks and that is clear message to relevant institutions not to take protection of journalists seriously“, they added.

Source: HND, Hina

IJAS welcomes the arrest of a man who threatened Lekic: When the states wants, the state can

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IJAS

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30/10/2017

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BELGRADE, 30.10.2017. – The Independent Journalists Association of Serbia welcomes the prompt and professional investigation and arrest of a person who threatened Slavisa Lekic, president of the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS) and his father.

“This proves that when the states want, the state can deal efficiently with threats against journalists. I thank the police that expediently arrested the suspect, as well as all those who initiated such prompt action. I expect of investigation to discover the motives and identify potential individuals who ordered this threats to be made. However, I also expect from police to act with the same level of attention in the cases of journalist Dragan Peco, whose flat has been broken into nearly a hundred days ago; the incidents that took place at the inauguration of President of Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic when Serbian Progressive Party security attacked journalists and citizens that took place almost five months ago; attempted murder of Dejan Anastasijevic; in the cases of the unsolved murders of Dada Vujasinovic, 23 years ago and Milan Pantic, ten years ago and discover the persons who ordered murder of Slavko Curuvija, liquidated 18 years ago. This is not a condition of trust, but just a path that will lead to full trust of the media community in justice and the state”, Lekic said.

Earlier today, the Ministry of Interior announced that N.V. (58) from Belgrade was arrested based on suspicion that had threatened with death to Slavisa Lekic, president of IJAS and his father.

Novi napad na N1 – pokušaj diskreditacije jedine slobodne TV

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IJAS

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30/10/2017

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BEOGRAD, 30.10.2017. – Nakon video klipa nepoznatog autora koji se pojavio na YouTube kanalu, očigledno kreiranom samo za tu potrebu, a u kom se TV N1 napada zbog toga što je u prilogu o godišnjici SNS-a, predsedniku SPS-a Ivici Dačiću posvetila 8 sekundi više nego predsedniku SNS-a Aleksandru Vučiću, napadi na N1 se nastavljaju.

Režimski tabloid Alo izneo je u svom današnjem izdanju niz novih optužbi na račun televizije N1. Tim povodom direktor programa TV N1 Jugoslav Ćosić ocenio je da je u pitanju novi napad na slobodu medija i medije koji nisu pod kontrolom vlasti.

“Režimski tabloid Alo, nastavio je u današnjem izdanju sa napadima na TV N1. Tabloid Alo izneo je niz insinuacija i neistina uključujući i poznate režimske teze da je TV N1 ‘najglasnije uporište opozicije’ i da ‘radi na rušenju Alekasandra Vučića'”, naveo je Ćosić.

On dodaje da je “isključivi cilj ovog, kao i drugih, sve učestalijih napada na N1, kao i kablovske distributere koji imaju N1, pokušaj da se po svaku cenu diskredituje jedina objektivna, slobodna i očigledno uticajna televizija u zemlji”.

“TV N1 je otvorena za sve političke opcije i poglede, kao i za sve relevantne sagovornike koji žele da na programu N1 govore i neće menjati uređivačku politiku. Ako neko radi na rušenju koncepta slobode medija i uništavanju profesije, onda to van sumnje i pre svega, svojom uređivačkom politikom, zasnovanom na lažima, insinuacijama i izmišljenim zaverama, rade režimski tabloid Alo i drugi medijski trbuhozborci vlasti”, zaključuje Ćosić.

Selection of non-Parliament members of the Parliament Media Committee is new attack on media freedom and mockery of Croatian citizens

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CJA

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29/10/2017

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ZAGREB, 29.10.2017. – Croatian Journalists’ Association (CJA) warns public that selection of non-Parliament members of the Parliament Committee for Information, Informatization and Media is new attack on media freedom and integrity of journalist profession in Croatia.

Although CJA has nearly 2400 members, journalist Slavica Lukić, its vice-president and non-Parliament member of the Parliament Committee for Information, Informatization and Media in previous term and CJA’s candidate, has not been selected.

Candidacy of former CJA’s president Zdenko Duka, Novi list journalist and head of Communication Dept. at Croatian Studies and former member of HRT Program Council Nada Zgrabljić Rotar have not been accepted either. The following candidates have been refused too: Jelena Berković, GONG executive director and former journalist, Toni Gabrić, founder and editor of H-Alter web portal, Sandra Križanec, N1 TV journalist and Ante Mikić, head of Croatian Catholic Network and former editor of Croatian Catholic Radio.

To cut it short, not a single candidate with any journalistic experience and knowledge has been selected for non-Parliament member of the Parliament Media Committee; the biggest parties have selected their members instead.

By that selection political elite once again mocked the Croatian citizens because those non-Parliament members should make sure that necessary level of professionalism and competence would be appreciated in Parliament bodies.

Apelacioni sud potvrdio presudu zbog pretnji novinarima N1

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IJAS

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27/10/2017

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BEOGRAD, 27.10.2017. – Apelacioni sud u Beogradu odbio je, kao neosnovanu, žalbu Zlatka Milenkovića na presudu kojom je proglašen krivim zbog ugrožavanja sigurnosti novinara televizije N1. Milenković je, presudom Višeg suda u Beogradu, osuđen uslovno na godinu dana zatvora.

Apelacioni sud je u obrazloženju naveo da je prvostepeni sud pravilno utvrdio i ocenio sve okolnosti kao i da je krivična sankcija budem pravilno odabrana i njena visina pravilno odmerena.

“Od olakšavajućih okolnosti na strani Milenkovića sud je cenio njegovo korektno držanje pred sudom, porodične prilike odnosno da je oženjen I otac jednog maloletnog detata, kao i teške ekonomske prilike dok je kao otežavajuću okolnost cenio njegovu raniju osuđivanost pa je pravilno postupio kada je okrivljenom izrekao uslovnu osudu”.

Viši sud je u avgustu obrazlažući presudu naveo da je Milenković, svestan svog dela i činjenice da je ono zabranjeno, ugrozio živote i sigurnost novinara redakcije N1 u Beogradu, pretnjom da će napasti na njihov život ili njima bliskih lica.

U presudi se dodaje da se radi o dve pretnje upućene sa profila “Strahinja Milenković” na društvenoj mreži Fejsbuk.

MIlenković je na sudu priznao da je uputio pretnje novinarima N1, zbog toga što je tog dana bio nervozan jer nije primio platu, da mu objave N1 stalno izlaze na profilu i da ne zna kako da ih blokira, da je “N1 američka televizija koja izvrće činjenice” i da ga nervira kad je gleda.

Milenković je dodao da je poruke napisao u besu, nakon što je video jednu od vesti na N1 o povećanju plata, ali da nisu upućene nikome lično, kao i da nije imao nameru da uradi bilo šta od onoga što je napisao.

Sud smatra da Milenkovićeve radnje imaju sva obeležja krivičnog dela za koje se tereti, da je jasno određen krug lica na koje se pretnje odnose i da se oni lako mogu identifikovati, kao i da se pretnja takvog tipa može lako identifikovati.

Kako je ocenio sud, pretnja je takva da “objektivno može stvoriti osećaj uznemirenja, nesigurnosti i straha za ličnu bezbednost kod članova redakcije i zaposlenih na N1 televiziji”.

Sud je utvrdio da su poruke “prvi ćete osetiti osvetu”, “ja prvi imam želju da koljem”, “ubiti izdajnika… nije ubistvo”, “kako ćete da izginete vi i vaše porodice” ozbiljne, da su shvaćene ozbiljno i stvarno, kao i da su oštećeni bili uplašeni za svoj i živote svojih porodica.

SNS optužuje portal Vranjske za “medijski terorizam“

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IJAS

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27/10/2017

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VRANJE, 27.10.2017. – Generalni sekretar Gradskog odbora SNS Vranja Goran Đorđević optužio je novinare portala InfoVranjske za „medijski terorizam“.

Na konferenciji za medije, organizovanoj pod geslom „Je suis Bulatović“, u znak podrške Slaviši Bulatoviću, narodnom poslaniku i predsedniku Gradskog odbora SNS, navedeno je da Info Vranjske predvode „orkestriranu kampanju koja ima za cilj promovisanje minornih političara“.

“Ovu konferenciju držimo pod sloganom „Svi smo mi Bulatovići“ jer SNS nikad nije bolje radio i uživa apsolutno poverenje predsednika stranke i centrale”, kazao je Goran Đorđević.

U vreme dok se održavala konferencija za medije, ispred prostorija SNS okupilo se pedesatak aktivista ove stranke koji su držali natpise „Je suis Bulatović“.

“Povodom napada na SNS i predsednika GrO Slavišu Bulatovića i namere pojedinih medija i verovatno nezadovoljnih članova stranke, da diskredituju predsednika i sam Gradski odbor, ističem da nikada ovaj odbor nije imao tako čvrsto jedinstvo i punu i korektnu saradnju sa Bulatovićem, iako smo svesni da postoje članovi parije, nezadovoljni zbog svojih ličnih interesa, koji koriste lokalne medije s ciljem destabilizacije našeg Odbora”, poručio je Slobodan Milenković, gradonačelnik Vranja.

Slaviša Bulatović, narodni poslanik i predsednik Gradskog odbora SNS, inače, nije prisustvovao konferenciji za novinare.

„Ovakva histerična, i pomalo tragikomična reakcija na nekoliko kritičkih tekstova pokazuje pravo lice i namere Srpske napredne stranke. Oni, zapravo, žele potpuno informativno jednoumlje i apsolutnu kontrolu nad medijima. Nije im bilo dovoljno što je ugašeno štampano izdanje Vranjskih, već bi sada da ukinu i portal“, izjavio je Vukašin Obradović, glavni i odgovorni urednik „Vranjskih“.

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