B92 presses criminal charges

BELGRADE -- B92 has filed criminal charges, informing police about numerous threats of physical liquidation to B92 journalists and editors.

"We consider those threats as an attempt to exert pressure on our media company to change our editorial policy, and to force us to suppress facts and filter the news, thus allowing restriction of free flow of information, ideas and opinions. We are determined and resolute to resist such pressures, as we have successfully done in the past," says a statement signed by B92 CEO Veran Matić.

B92 points out that the defense of the constitutional order, governance of law and democratic heritage calls for defense of freedom of expression and press freedom.

Valid Constitution and legal regulations in this country guarantee freedom of the press and prohibit censorship. Valid legal acts in this country prohibit physical and any other threats directed towards journalists and media in general.

"We are aware of the fact that difficult situation our society had faced with contributed to the dregs of society coming to surface. The messages we’ve received bear witness to this as its contents lack refinement and are abundant in vulgarities. The way the messages are sent (from a fictitious email addresses, usually via West European and American anonymous electronic mail providers), reflects hypocrisy and cowardice of its senders," the statement says.

"The outcome of the charges pressed so far against threats and assaults is not encouraging. Throughout all these years, only a single case ended with court conviction that came into effect as the suspended prison sentence. Other cases either expired, or criminal acts are being qualified more mildly then we think it is appropriate, the perpetrators are not being revealed, or in case they are, the procedure of indicting them is being unnecessarily prolonged," Matić said.

"B92 insists that this bad practice change, meaning that pressures, threats and assaults on media and journalists should face criminal proceedings and appropriate sanctions in a way that will acknowledge full awareness of the state about the significance of media freedom in a democratic society. That will, in turn, result not only in protecting B92 and its journalists, but also in protecting the right of the public to be duly informed about the issues it is entitled to know about," the statement ends.

OSCE condemns violence

The Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Ambassador Hans Ola Urstad, criticized violent attacks aimed at journalists following last week’s ”Kosovo is Serbia” rally in Belgrade.

“Targeted or indiscriminate violence or threats against those who cover news stories is a serious violation of journalists’ rights to carry out their work freely and objectively report on the current events in the country.”

“Serbian citizens as well as others are thus denied their right to a free and open flow of information. Freedom of expression is enshrined in numerous international agreements and in the constitutions of most countries, including Serbia.”

Ambassador Urstad condemned the ongoing direct threats against B92 and other media and called for better protection of all national and international journalists.

OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Miklos Haraszti also decried the violence and explicit and indirect threats against media and emphasized that “also during times of tension or unauthorized demonstrations, journalists must be allowed to carry out their duty of reporting.”