Condemnation of the verbal violence of the authorities against journalists

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16/01/2017

SKOPJE, 16.01.2017 Association of Journalists of Macedonia condemns coordinated surge of verbal abuse of the authorities against journalists, which are directed against freedom of the media and the public’s right to be informed.

Such attacks are intended to intimidate and silence journalists and stifle criticism in the media. Thus the government wants to prevent the public to be informed of important developments in the country.

Accusations of VMRO-DPMNE against Fondation Open Society Macedonia for allegedly corrupting the journalists is a pure spin of the government, which does not have the courage to face their own responsibility for massive abuse of media for political purposes.

The statements of the director of the Archives of Macedonia, Filip Petrovski the “clean” the “media of Soros”, is an excellent example of calling a public lynching against opponents of the government. Also reminding in the context of controversial figures from history, who were perpetrators of attacks is an act of incitement to violence against journalists. Such practices have nothing to do with the values of free and democratic countries but are relics of totalitarian regimes which have caused great suffering to mankind.

We also condemn insults of the mayor of Berovo against the journalist Daniela Takeo and evaluate them as inappropriate under any level of good upbringing of a mayor. This incident shows that the government is expanding the pressure on journalists working in critical local media.

We urge government officials to stop the insults and calls for violence against journalists and to remind them that because of this they will be responsible for the possible consequences. If there are examples of inappropriate behavior we call to require media correction or retraction, and in case they are ignored to turn to professional organizations responsible for self-regulation in the media.

We also urge all journalists to check their information from various sources and do not use the media for dealing with its opponents.

AJM

January 16, 2017, Skopje

„Presuda NIN-u može da utiče negativno na slobodu medija“

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10/01/2017

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BRISEL, 10.01.2017. – Komesar za ljudska prava Saveta Evrope Nils Muižnieks izjavio je da je zabrinut da bi na slobodu medija u Srbiji mogla negativno da utiče presuda Višeg suda kojom je nedeljnik NIN osuđen zbog teksta o događajima u Savamali, u sporu koji je pokrenuo Nebojša Stefanović.

„Ne treba imati previše zaštitnički odnos prema reputaciji ili izricati pravne lekove ili sankcije koje mogu imati negativni uticaj na slobodu izražavanja i javnu debatu“, navodi komesar i dodaje da kazna za klevetu mora biti srazmerna povredi reputacije.

Praksa srpskog pravosuđa kada je reč o kleveti, zaključuje Muižnieks, mora da bude usklađena sa praksom Evropskog suda, dok političari, sa svoje strane, treba da budu otvoreni za nesputanu kritiku i treba da spreče one akcije koje mogu da suzbiju slobodu izražavanja, posebno kod novinara.

Podsetimo, Viši sud u Beogradu je, nakon samo jednog ročišta, po tužbi ministra policije osudio nedeljnik NIN sa 300.000 dinara zbog teksta „Nebojša Stefanović, glavni fantom iz Savamale“, uz obrazloženje da su tekstom povređeni ugled i čast Stefanovića.

Ovakvu presudu je medijska zajednica jednoglasno osudila, a NIN je najavio da će se žaliti, i da će, ako treba, ići do Suda u Strazburu.

Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights

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10/01/2017

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BRUSSELS, 10.01.2017. – I am concerned by the possible negative impact on media freedom of the decision of the High Court in Belgrade to fine, in defamation proceedings, the political weekly NIN for damaging the reputation of the Minister of Interior of Serbia, following the publication in June 2016 of an article on the demolitions of Belgrade’s Savamala district.

The concept of defamation should be interpreted in relation to freedom of expression as guaranteed by Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and should not be overly protective of reputational interests or provide far-reaching remedies or sanctions that can have a chilling effect on freedom of expression and public debate.

According to well-established case-law of the European Court, the limits of acceptable criticism are “wider as regards a politician as such than as a private individual”. Unlike the latter, the former “inevitably and knowingly lays himself open to close scrutiny of their every word and deed and they must consequently display a greater degree of tolerance”. In addition, the European Court has held that “an award of damages for defamation must bear a reasonable relationship of proportionality to the injury to reputation suffered”.

The Serbian judiciary needs to ensure that its jurisprudence concerning defamation is in line with the European Court’s case-law, while politicians, on their part, should be open to uninhibited public criticism and should prevent actions that can have a chilling effect on freedom of expression, especially for journalists.

Prijetnje konačno sankcionirane: Muškarac koji je prijetio novinarki Nove TV osuđen na 10 mjeseci zatvora

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09/01/2017

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ZAGREB, 09.01.2017. – Tito Gubić nepravomoćno je osuđen na 10 mjeseci zatvora zbog prijetnji reporterki Provjerenog Emi Branici, prenosi Dnevnik.hr.

Tito Gubić je nepravomoćno osuđen zato što je 28. rujna oko 13:30 sati tijekom snimanja prijetio reporterki Emi Branici poručivši joj da će “završiti kao (Ivo) Pukanić”, pokojni vlasnik tjednika Nacional. Pukanić je ubijen u listopadu 2008. godine u podmetnutoj eksploziji, javlja Dnevnik.hr.

Prijetnje Branici osudilo je Hrvatsko novinarsko društvo, pozivajući institucije da u takvim slučajevima hitno reagiraju po službenoj dužnosti.

Podsjetimo, novinarka Branica je u Provjerenom razotkrila Gubića da je, predstavljajući se kao žena, s psihički nestabilnim starcem potpisao ugovor o doživotnom uzdržavanju, a potom i o životnom partnerstvu i to svega sat vremena prije nego što je starac završio u bolnici u komi. Nedugo potom starac je umro, a Tito je postao vlasnikom trokatnice u zagrebačkoj Dubravi, piše Dnevnik.hr.

Due to threats to Nova TV journalist Tito Grubić sentenced to 10 months in prison

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09/01/2017

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ZAGREB, 09.01.2017. – Tito Gubić has been sentenced to 10 months in prison (sentence not final) because of threatening the ‘Provjereno’ reporter Ema Branica.

During shooting TV report on September 28 last year Tito Gubić threatened the reporter MS Ema Branica saying: „You will end like Ivo Pukanić“, late owner of Nacional weekly. Pukanić was murdered in car explosion in October 2008.

The Croatian Journalists’ Association (CJA) condemned the threats too and called the relevant institutions to react quickly and in course of their official duties.

Ema Branica exposed Tito who, impersonating a female, had signed a contract with psychologically unstable old man about life support and about life partnership just one hour before old man was taken to hospital in state of coma. He died soon after that and Tito became the owner of three floors building in Zagreb, Dubrava.

“Journalist’s for journalist’s” – KTV program on AJK report findings

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07/01/2017

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PRISTINA, 07.01.2017 – “Journalist’s for journalist’s” is Kohavision production which reflects on media problems in Kosovo. Association of Journalists of Kosovo and many journalists discussed about their problems and emergencies.

Click the link and watch 22 minute video: http://bit.ly/2jkZ7nE

Serbia: Chilling effect on media freedom by verdict against journalist and editor

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06/01/2017

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NEBOJSA STEFANOVIC — Beograd, 29. novembra 2016. - Ministar policije Nebojsa Stefanovic stize u zgradu Viseg suda, gde je odrzano rociste po tuzbi Stefanovica protiv novinarke nedeljnika NIN Sandre Petrusic, glavnog urednika Milana Culibrka i kompanije NIN doo zbog naslovne strane "Nebojsa Stefanovic, glavni fantom iz Savamale". Pred sudom su ga docekali okupljeni gradjani u znak podrske. FOTO TANJUG/ SAVA RADOVANOVIC/ dr

BELGRADE, 06.01.2017. – The EFJ affiliates in Serbia, Journalist Association of Serbia,(UNS) Independent Asossociation of Serbia (NUNS) , Journalists Union of Serbia (SINOS), media society organisations and one foundation published a joined statement to support Belgrade’s leading political weekly NIN in challenging the decision of the High Court in Belgrade which determined that NIN had damaged the reputation of Serbia’s Minister of Interior Nebojsa Stefanovic by publishing a June article which portrayed Stefanovic as “The Phantom of Savamala”, the Court ordered the magazine to pay the equivalent of 2500 euros for harming the Minister’s reputation.

Serbia’s journalistic community is shocked that Judge Slobodan Keranovic determined a journalistic inquiry into the political responsibility of a member of Serbia’s Government to be “disallowed”, “forbidden” and “untruthful”. NIN reporter Sandra Petrusic was careful to distinguish between assumption, fact and opinion in her story, yet the Judge chose to rule that her expose was “disallowed information”.

“On what grounds can a court tell a reporter that it is not legal for her to do what her job as a journalist requires her to do: to collect information and opinion, to analyze and report it, and also suggest possible/plausible scenarios? Worse still, in his judgment Judge Keranovic explicitly absolved the Minister of the Interior of any culpability in a criminal case that is still being investigated by the Prosecutor’ Office. How can a judge not adjudicating a criminal case possibly know in advance that a high ranking Government official is innocent of criminal conduct in that case? In this confusing and contradictory legal judgment, Government officials are presumed innocent while journalists are declared guilty for simply doing their jobs, and with record, breakneck speed at that.”

According to the joined media statement, the distinction between fact and opinion is the key issue in this case. The journalistic community hopes that the Appeal court will take a hard look at Judge Keranovic’s specious legal reasoning, which has not sufficiently taken into account that the public has a right to hold public officials accountable and that journalists have the right to criticize their work.

Culibrk said that NIN will appeal the verdict, “and if necessary go to the Constitutional Court or the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.”

“Penalising editors and journalists with a large fine when reporting about persons working in official positions is extremely damaging for journalism and its watchdog role. It invites to self-censorship and violates media freedom”, said EFJ President Mogens Blicher Bjerregard.”

The media coalition includes NUNS, UNS, NDNV (Independent Journalists Association of Vojvodina), Association of Media, Local Press (association of local media), AOM (Association of online media), ANEM (Association of independent electronic media) and Slavko Curuvija Foundation. It is maybe for the first time in Serbia that so many media organisations got together to protest against such rigorous interference in media in Serbia.

IJAS and IJAV condemned the savage attack on the cameraman of the Anadolu Agency

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05/01/2017

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BELGRADE, 05.01.2017. – The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia and the Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina condemned the savage attack on Nihad Ibrahimkadic, cameraman of the Anadolu Agency and called the police to urgently reveal the attackers and motives of the attack.

Nihad Ibrahimkadic, cameraman of the Anadolu Agency was attacked in early morning near the railway station in Belgrade.

According to the Anadolu Agency, Ibrahimkadic was seriously injured, and after the attack gendarmes found him and transported to the Military Medical Academy.

Without any reason, unidentified persons attacked from the back Ibrahimkadic. The attackers did not speak anything and did not take any valuables, according to the announcement of the Anadolu Agency.

Ibrahimkadic was attacked in the early morning after his return from Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he spent the New Year’s holidays.

The authorities of the Republic of Serbia, as well as the embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Turkey have been notified about the attack.

Serbia’s media community supports NIN

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05/01/2017

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BELGRADE, 05.01.2017. – Serbia’s journalist and media associations support Belgrade’s leading political weekly NIN in challenging the decision of the High Court in Belgrade which determined that NIN had damaged the reputation of Serbia’s Minister of Interior Nebojsa Stefanovic by publishing a June article which portrayed Stefanovic as “The Phantom of Savamala”, The Court ordered the magazine to pay the equivalent of 2500 euros for harming the Minister’s reputation.

Serbia’s journalistic community is shocked that Judge Slobodan Keranovic determined a journalistic inquiry into the political responsibility of a member of Serbia’s Government to be “disallowed”, “forbidden” and “untruthful”. NIN reporter Sandra Petrusic was careful to distinguish between assumption, fact and opinion in her story, yet the Judge chose to rule that her expose was “disallowed information”. On what grounds can a court tell a reporter that it is not legal for her to do what her job as a journalist requires her to do: to collect information and opinion, to analyze and report it, and also suggest possible/plausible scenarios?

Worse still, in his judgment Judge Keranovic explicitly absolved the Minister of the Interior of any culpability in a criminal case that is still being investigated by the Prosecutor’ Office. How can a judge not adjudicating a criminal case possibly know in advance that a high ranking Government official is innocent of criminal conduct in that case? In this confusing and contradictory legal judgment, Government officials are presumed innocent while journalists are declared guilty for simply doing their jobs, and with record, breakneck speed at that.

The distinction between fact and opinion is the key issue in this case. The journalistic community hopes that the Appellate Court will take a hard look at Judge Keranovic’s specious legal reasoning, which has not sufficiently taken into account that the public has a right to hold public officials accountable and that journalists have the right to criticize their work.

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