PRISTINA, 14.12.2016 – The Association of Journalists of Kosovo is deeply concerned with the information that journalist Senada Halimi that the daily newspaper “Zeri” has terminated her working contract after she reported about her pregnancy.

Journalist Halimi told AJK: “I was informed on 03.12.2016 that my contract is terminated. This happened few days after management find out that I am pregnant.”

Based on this, the AJK condemns the act of the daily newspaper “Zeri” as the decision of the management violates the Labour Law as well as other applicable laws in Republic of Kosovo. This is a direct discrimination based on gender and it is unacceptable.

Termination of the working contracts during the time of pregnancy should not be allowed to be turned into any form of lawful practice in our country. We expect from other organisations that deal with protection of human rights, in particular women’s rights, to condemn the act of daily “Zeri”.

For this case, based on the request of Senada Halimi we have informed that Labour Inspectorate and we expect from them a quick and fair decision.

We also encourage journalist Halimi to start legal procedures against the daily newspaper “Zeri”.

Sarajevo,12.12.2016.-Komisija za saobraćaj i komunikacije Predstavničkog doma parlamenta BiH danas je primila k znanju rang-listu Regulatorne agencije za komunikacije za članove Upravnog odbora Javnog radio-televizijskog servisa BiH /BHRT/ iz bošnjačkog, hrvatskog i srpskog naroda.

Primljen je k znanju i izvještaj s Konferencije o javnim medijima i demokratiji, održane 10. i 11. novembra u Pragu.

Imenovanje po jednog člana Upravnog odobra BHRT-a iz bošnjačkog hrvatskog i srpskog naroda na dnevnom je redu sjednice Predstavničkog doma BiH u srijedu, 14. decembra.

Sarajevo,16.12.2016.-Novinari na Zapadnom Balkanu su izloženi fizičkim i verbalnim napadima i prijetnjama, pritiscima vlasnika medija i političara, socijalno ugroženi, sa malim zaradama, često bez ugovora, nedovoljno snažnim udruženjima, slabim sindikatima i državama koje ne obezbeđuju poštovanje zakona, pokazalo je istraživanje sprovedeno u Srbiji, Bosni i Hercegovini, Makedoniji, Crnoj Gori i Kosovu.

Rezultati regionalnog istraživanja predstavljeni su na dvodnevnoj konferenciji „Sloboda medija i sigurnost novinara na zapadnom Balkanu“ u Beogradu 6. i 7. decembra, a u okviru projekta Regionalne platforme za zagovaranje medijskih sloboda i sigurnosti novinara. Detalje sa konferencije i rezultate istraživanja detaljnije pogledajte u specijalnom izdanju Dosijea o medijima kojeg objavljuje Nezavisna unija novinara Srbije.

dosije-39

SKOPJE, 13.12.2016 Association of Journalists of Macedonia welcomes the preliminary findings of the International Election Observation Mission of 11 December in Macedonia, which clearly conclude that the parties did not fulfill the obligation of the Przino agreement for substantial reforms in the media.

International observers confirmed the view of AJM that journalistic ethics in the media can not be imposed with penalties. They rightly concluded that national TV Sitel, Kanal 5 and Alfa did not provide balanced and unbiased reporting in its news. Although evenly divided media space among the participants of the election, they repored with a positive tone for the government and for the opposition usually negative, with which those media openly supported the ruling party VMRO-DPMNE. Also, cases are noted of these national televisions for transmitting questionable information from the Internet as a political news.

Moreover, all the failed attempts of the media to hold discussions with all key stakeholders in the electoral process, due to the refusal of candidates to participate in them.

Observers rightly assessed that the new legal solution for the media is not effective because of its non-compliance and the unclear mandate of the temporary committee to monitor media reporting hundred days before the election. They said that although the Commission has proposed 57 infringement procedures against the media for uneven reporting, hidden campaign of government officials and paid political advertising, the court declared only two cases and dismissed them as unfounded.

Observers stressed the emergence of self-censorship and lack of editorial independence of the media, where the reason cited political and business interests of the owners of these media. While there was a case in which representatives of the government DUI intimidated a news editor.

13.12.2016, Skopje

A preliminary report of OSCE for the election can be found on the following link:

http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/fyrom/288186]

Photo source: Voice of America

PRISTINA, 12.12.2016 – Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK) is deeply concerned for the closure of the initial hearing in the so-called “Land” case for members of media and public.

AJK does not agree with the action and the reasoning of the president of this panel, Arcadius Sedek that this session is of technical nature. We would like to draw attention to the presiding judge of this case that this session is of public interest, since in this particular session it will be decided whether there will be main hearing or not.

Recently, AJK has warned that closure of Mekaj case for media and public would be set as a precedent, which in turn it’s proving to be so with the closure of the case “Stents”, and now with this recent case. We would like to remind Kosovo judiciary that in all those cases, the accused are the individuals that kept important leading positions and do represent great interest for the public opinion. Again, we remind the justice system that closing the trial sessions is affecting directly its image as well as it is obstructing the media to perform their work. Also, we demand from the prosecutors of such cases not to agree with closure of trial sessions because it will harm the credibility of Prosecution.

We ask from the courts to open their doors to media and public, since transparency should be the fundamental principle on which to these institutions should function. Lack of transparency in justice creates opportunities for various speculations in which the consequences are to be handled by the justice institutions itself. With these actions the courts are setting precedents for concealing from the public the alleged criminal actions of high officials.

Pristina, 12.12.2016

BELGRADE, December 06, 2016. – A new study conducted in five Balkan countries says journalists in the region enjoy very low levels of protection from physical attacks, death threats and other pressures – and blames governments for doing little or nothing to improve matters

A study conducted in Bosna and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro by the Western Balkans Platform for Advocating Media Freedom and Journalists Safety, concludes that journalists remain vulnerable to physical attacks and other pressures, and have few ways of defending themselves effectively.

The study, which will be presented on Tuesday in Belgrade by the Independent Journalists Association of Serbia, NUNS, says governments are not interested in improving the situation in the media, or only do so declaratively, as they are often the direct or indirect source of the pressures.

Seven physical attacks on journalists were recorded in Bosnia from 2013 to 2016, 35 in Macedonia and one physical attack and seven on media property in Montenegro.

Twelve physical attacks and thirteen attacks on media property were recorded in Kosovo and 33 physical attacks on journalists were recorded in Serbia.

Serbia also took the lead in failing to solve murder cases involving journalists. Trials for the murders or deaths of the journalists Slavko Curuvija, Dada Vujasinovic and Milan Pantic have not revealed who or what was responsible for their premature deaths. Editor and media owner Curuvija was murdered in 1999. Vujasinovic was found dead in her apartment in 1994. Pantic was killed near his home in 2001.

Cases of journalists who have received death threats in Serbia and have been living under the police protection for years, such as Brankica Stankovic or Vladimir Mitric, also remain unresolved.

Judicial systems are not effective as state governments in the region appear uninterested in solving investigations effectively, the report says.

Over the three years, the number of threats to journalists has increased and the trend is towards further growth, it adds.

The study laments that none of the countries has developed a strategy with a special focus on journalists’ protection in recent years.

Apart from physical threats, journalists in the region are vulnerable to other environmental and work-related pressures, the report says.

“Mobbing, blackmailing, low salaries or/and irregular payments, frequent overtime, unpaid work and lack of work contracts are only some of the situations that journalists from the region face on a daily basis,” the report reads.