Top Channel’s car is vandalized in Zveçan

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29/05/2023

A vehicle belonging to the media outlet Top Channel was vandalized today by protesters in Zvecan.

The vehicle, in which four journalists from different media outlets were traveling, was vandalized with nationalist slogans and with the intention of rendering it inoperable.

The Association of Journalists of Kosovo is expressing concern over the developments in these municipalities and is urging fellow journalists, camera operators, and photojournalists to exercise extra precaution during reporting and to respect the instructions of Kosovo Police officials regarding the reporting perimeter.

AJK, once again, calls on the international presence in Kosovo, NATO Kosovo Force – KFOR, and EULEX Kosovo, to enable safe and unhindered media reporting.

Vehicles of RTV Dukagjini and KALLXO are vandalized and damaged in Leposaviq

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AJK

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29/05/2023

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The vehicles of RTV Dukagjini and KALLXO have been vandalized and damaged by protesters in Leposaviq.

In the videos published in the media, the vehicles of RTV Dukagjini and KALLXO can be seen with the unofficial Serbian moto symbol “Samo sloga Srbina spasava” (Only unity saves the Serbs), punctured tires, and covering of the “Republic of Kosovo” on license plates.

The Association of Journalists of Kosovo – AJK, condemns this act by the protesters and simultaneously calls on the Kosovo Police and international presence in Kosovo to enable safe and unhindered reporting for media teams.

At the same time, the AJK urges journalists to have extra precautions while reporting from the municipalities where the protesters are located.

Denigrating campaign against Dafina Demakut – Editor in Chief at Periskopi and pundit at KTV

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AJK

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28/05/2023

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Dafina Demaku, editor-in-chief of the online portal Periskopi and a regular pundit on national television, KTV, reported to AJK of a derogatory and insulting campaign against her on social media, particularly TikTok.

Demaku is labeled as a “pro-Serbian journalist” and a “suspected agent of the Serbian BIA” in several footages.

AJK strongly condemns this campaign against Demaku, which directly jeopardizes her and her family’s safety. Furthermore, AJK calls on competent authorities to investigate the posts and take action in order to identify who is behind the campaign.

19 years of the murder of Jovanovic: Inefficient investigation, burden of the state

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TUMM

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27/05/2023

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PODGORICA, 27.05.2023. – 19 years after the murder of the editor-in-chief of “Dan” Duško Jovanović, the state has still not shed light on this biggest crime against journalists in the history of Montenegro. A big stain remains on the face of the state due to the absence of an effective investigation that would lead to the perpetrators and motives of this crime.

Although it has been repeatedly indicated from the highest officials that things are moving from the deadlock, the public is deprived of evidence for such claims. Even the Commission for Monitoring Investigations of Attacks on Journalists in its latest report, which was published at the end of last year, noted obvious, serious omissions and recommended the next steps to the competent authorities. Whether and to what extent the authorities acted in accordance with the recommendations is still unknown.

Representatives of the civil sector and the media community also proposed the engagement of international experts to help solve this murder, but nothing concrete was done on this occasion either.

We call on the Government, the police, and the prosecutor’s office to finally show their readiness to put this crime, which is on the list of the oldest unsolved murders of journalists in Europe, into the focus of their work and prove that actions are behind words.

Without a complete investigation of the murder, there is no even symbolic satisfaction for the Jovanovic family and the media community, and Montenegro remains one of the countries that have ballast in all international reports because it did not conduct an effective investigation into the journalist’s murder.

Trade Union of Media of Montenegro

IJAS: Police to Protect Journalists During Public Gatherings

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IJAS

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26/05/2023

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The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS) calls on the police to secure and protect all journalists and media workers on duty during the public gatherings that will be held in Belgrade these days.

Journalists and media workers, in accordance with the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Serbia, are granted the right to move, work and publish information, with the aim of providing timely and truthful information to all citizens in the Republic of Serbia.

We remind you that last year, before the Pride, the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office ordered the police and basic public prosecutor’s offices to detain up to 48 hours for anyone who attacks journalists while they are reporting from events in Belgrade.

IJAS calls on all journalists and media workers who follow the gatherings to be visibly marked as employees of the media, to carry a journalist ID card and vests with the inscription press.

Journalists and media workers are requested to follow the instructions given to them by police officers in given situations.

IJAS reminds that it launched a 24/7 hotline for immediate reporting of attacks, threats and pressures on media professionals (060/6882231), who can call in case of inconvenience.

Cases can be reported directly to security contact points in the police and prosecutor’s offices. Information on contact points in the police is available here, and in the prosecutor’s offices here.

Media workers can get “press” vests at the IJAS premises on weekdays during working hours from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. To pick up a “press” vest, it is necessary for the journalist to have an editorial ID card or a membership card of a journalist association.

IJAS reminds journalists and media workers that they can watch an online workshop on the behavior of journalists in a hostile environment on our YouTube channel.

On our website prvalinija.nuns.rs you can find information about providing psychological help to journalists.

Journalists at risk during reporting in the northern Kosovo

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AJK

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26/05/2023

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The Association of Journalists of Kosovo is expressing deep concern about the aggravated security situation in four municipalities in the north, where dozens of journalists, camera operators, photojournalists, and other media workers are reporting.

AJK calls on law enforcement agencies, the Kosovo Police, and the international presence in Kosovo to facilitate safe and unhindered reporting for media teams. In the meantime, the portal Koha reports that a vehicle belonging to the team was attacked with stones by masked individuals, but fortunately, no one was injured. AJK also urges journalists and newsrooms to exercise extra precautions in this difficult situation.

Coalition for Media Freedom: Authorities to Stop Targeting Professional Media

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IJAS

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26/05/2023

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The Coalition for Media Freedom strongly condemns the statements of the government representatives, Prime Minister Ana Brnabic and Serbian Progressive Party MP Nebojsa Bakarec, who in the Serbian Parliament directly accused the media operating within the United Media (UM) company of propagating hatred and violence and creating an atmosphere in society that leads to the tragedies.

Bakarec pointed out that the media operating within UM, especially television N1 and Nova S, are to blame for the “sick atmosphere in society that favors the occurrence of tragedies, such as those in Vladislav Ribnikar elementary school and those in Mladenovac and Smederevo”. He also stated that these media are targeting President Vucic and members of his family, as well as members of the Government and especially the Prime Minister.

After that, the Prime Minister accused the “tycoon media” of, as she stated, poisoning the nation, sowing hatred minute by minute, hour by hour.”

The Coalition believes that such statements in the most direct way threaten the safety of the journalists of these media companies and that such statements actually target the journalists of these media companies. It is especially dangerous that this kind of atmosphere towards journalists and the media is transferred to citizens, who, most often, also send threats, harass and insult journalists on social networks. An incident of this kind occurred yesterday when a participant of the Church led procession in Belgrade put three fingers on the forehead of journalist Jelena Kikic while she was reporting live for TV Nova.

According to the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS) database of attacks and pressures on journalists in 2023, by mid-May, out of a total of 44 recorded pressures, 27 were done by public officials, and those by the highest officials, especially the Prime Minister, dominate.

The Coalition believes that in this difficult moment for our society, the state authorities should do everything to calm the tensions, and not further inflame them.

The Coalition for Media Freedom consists of the Association of Media, the Association of Online Media (AOM), the Independent Association of Journalists of Vojvodina (NDNV), the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS), the Business Association of Local and Independent Media “Local Press” and the Slavko Curuvija Foundation.

Journalists’ and Media Associations: We Request Initiation of Procedure for Dismissal of REM Council Members

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IJAS

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26/05/2023

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Journalists’ and media associations and trade unions request the initiation of proceedings for the dismissal of members of the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM) Council due to long-term activity that is in violation of Article 5 of the Electronic Media Law.

REM directly violates the provisions of that article because – “it does not contribute to the preservation, protection and development of freedom of opinion and expression and does not protect the public interest in the field of electronic media and does not protect users of electronic media services.”

The undersigned organizations believe that the latest decision on the granting of a license for the provision of media services via cable and IPTV network “Insajder team d.o.o.” to the publisher of the “Informer” daily newspaper, the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM) has definitely made its existence meaningless because it is in direct opposition to the laws that regulate the work of this body, as well as the by-laws adopted by the REM itself.

Since the beginning of 2020, this newspaper, which is a champion in breaking the Serbian Journalists’ Code of Ethics, has received at least 18.3 million dinars of public money in tenders for media projects. The latest monitoring by the Press Council shows that this newspaper violated the Code of Journalists of Serbia 512 times in the period from October 2022 to the end of January 2023.

Unfortunately, this is just one more in a series of indicators of illegal and illegitimate behavior of REM. We would like to remind you that although REM’s professional services recorded numerous violations every month in the broadcasting of all televisions that have a national broadcasting license, especially PINK and Happy, last summer REM re-granted them licenses for national coverage. These televisions did not adhere to the previous elaboration, which contained the mandatory broadcasting of children’s and scientific-educational programs. They continued with the same practice in the new cycle, as shown by the latest REM report – presented at last week’s session of the Committee for Culture and Information, which states that for three months this year, the share of children’s programs in the total program at Pink was about 0.02%. and on Happy 0.01%. When they applied for a new license last year, representatives of Happy Television promised that the share of children’s content would be 5% of the total program, while representatives of Pink promised that cultural, children’s and scientific-educational programs would be represented with a minimum of 20% in the program. The Council of the REM-a has been in abeyance for more than six months – since December 2, when the deadline set by law for the fifth permit for national coverage expired.

At yesterday’s meeting, one of the last items on the agenda was the granting of a work permit to the Insider team. The expert service did not submit for inspection the submitted documentation necessary for decision-making, and the Council, without inspecting the documentation related to the proposed program concept, the so-called elaboration, nevertheless made a decision on granting the permit. Only one member of the Council, Judita Popovic, requested and received an insight into the report. This attitude towards work is another proof of why this body does not fulfill its legally prescribed role.

That is why these organizations believe that the only solution is that the members of the REM Council should collectively submit their resignations due to the non-implementation of the provisions of the law, neglect of the public interest and promotion of the political influence of the authorities. After all, the state action plan, after the adoption of the new Electronic Media Law, which is about to be put to public debate and enter the adoption procedure, foresees the exclusion of state bodies from proposing candidates for REM Council members and the election of the new REM Council .

The Coalition for Media Freedom believes that this selective use of public property is an insult to common sense and the journalistic profession because it shows the selective application of laws and rules, i.e. that the rules do not apply to privileged media in the service of the ruling regime. This decision is an announcement of the further decline of the media scene in Serbia, which will contribute to further cultural and any other deterioration of the entire society. Instead of media pluralism, we got a continuation of media darkness, and that’s why we demand that REM members collectively resign.

Signatories:

Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS)

Association of Online Media (AOM)

Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM)

Slavko Curuvija Foundation

Independent Association of Journalists of Vojvodina (NDNV)

Association of Local and Independent Media “Local Press”

Association of Media

Union of Journalists of Serbia (SINOS)

GS KUM „Nezavisnost“

Journalists’ Association of Serbia (JAS)

EFJ joins RTV Slovenia journalists’ fight for independence after one year strike

By

IJAS

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25/05/2023

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23 May 2023 marked one year since the beginning of the strike at the Slovenian public broadcaster Radiotelevizija Slovenija (RTV Slovenia). The Journalists’ Union of Slovenia and the Coordination of Journalists’ Unions in RTV yesterday organised a public debate in support of the strike, to remind that the demand for a public broadcaster free from any interference is still valid.

“What kind of RTV do we want?” was the theme of the public debate which invited RTV journalists and experts to reflect on the past year and the future. Solidarity messages were also sent from across borders, where journalists’ organisations, members of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), share the struggle for independent public broadcasters.

Journalists’ organisations in Slovenia have long warned about the alarming situation at RTVS, denouncing a political takeover of the broadcaster, interference in the work of journalists, and violations of trade union rights. Last October, thirty-eight journalists were given notices before dismissal in retaliation for their solidarity actions with their colleagues. Pressure, threats and sanctions on critical employees and strikers continue. More than 40 journalists and editors resigned or quit their job in the TV news programme alone.

The President of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) Maja Sever attended the event and reiterated the Federation’s support for the strikers: “I have been following your struggle for years. 365 days after the start of the strike at RTV Slovenia, you publicly warned against the political agenda to destroy and take over public media. You warned against a threat that has meanwhile become a reality for many public media services in Europe, and thus an exceptional danger for freedom of expression, media pluralism and democracy.”

Your struggle has become a source of inspiration for the movement for depoliticised public television, a movement that should spread beyond Slovenia’s borders, EFJ President Maja Sever added.

While the independence of broadcasters is under threat in many European countries, the latest example being Italy, the EFJ Broadcasting Expert Group (BREG) sent the following messages: “For more than a year, we have been following the courageous fight against injustice that the journalists are waging to have the programming and supervisory board of RTV Slovenia de-politicised. They deserve admiration for their strength in the face of pressure, threats and sanctions. We stand with you and support all legal measures, so that the broadcaster gets real independence, because you are fighting for an important basis of democracy. The weakening of the autonomy and independence cannot be accepted under any circumstances.”

From Italy, Niki Filipović, a journalist from the radio and television station RAI and representative of the journalists’ union FNSI, emphasised that quality and versatile information are an absolute condition for the existence of a modern, healthy democracy.

Soraya Morvan-Smith, a journalist and editor at France 24 and a representative of the French journalists’ union SNJ-CGT, spoke in a video message about the attacks on the French public broadcaster and added: “We expressed our unity with you in your strike. We share the necessity for democracy, first of all, and of editorial autonomy.”

The Constitutional Court is still deliberating on the amendments to the RTV reform, but is expected to issue its decision soon. The changes of the law will be the first step towards depoliticisation of the programming council and supervisory board.

Safejournalists.net