B92 calls on state to protect journalists

In a letter signed by B92 editor-in-chief Veran Matic, B92 has condemned the threats made against its reporters. The letter also calls upon state authorities to find the perpetrators and protect the journalists. B92 calls on state to protect journalists Attacks on B92 and threats made against the authors of B92 TV's Insajder investigative program have become more intense and brutal and they have not subsided even after President Boris Tadic reacted on Sunday to announce that the state would not tolerate violence coming from hooligans and criminals. The president stated that the government had taken all the measures to protect the journalists and announced that the state organs would react according to the law and arrest and put on trial anyone endangering lives of others. Minister of Interior Ivica Dacic said that Serbian police (MUP) had taken all the necessary steps in order to find the persons who made the threats. Minister of Justice Snezana Malovic also requested finding the perpetrators and giving them stiff punishments. The latest wave of threats, especially on the internet's social networking websites, the graffiti painted on the walls in Belgrade threatening the Insajder authors with rape, slaughter and murder, have emerged after the airing the first part of an investigative series looking into the issue extreme football fan groups and their leaders. The Public Prosecutor’s Office has recently requested that a ban be imposed on such groups. The program informed the public about the content of over 100 reports that the police had made against the leaders of the groups in the past few years, but as a rule there were never any court verdicts in the cases. The program’s editors obtained the information entirely according to the Law on Information Availability and presented a key problem to the audience – the lack of reaction of the judicial system which has failed to protect the public safety of the citizens. Threatening, brutal, vulgar and primitive reactions coming from the members and supporters of these criminals and bullies after the first part aired, and after the state representatives reacted, show that they still feel secure, safe from justice, the letter continues. The threats are also made against the state system institutions, democratic processes, revealing the dominant ideological background of these groups and individuals which is based on xenophobic racism, anti-European ideas, contempt for democracy, while the sexist obsession proves they are seriously disturbed sociopaths with one thing in common – violence, Matic writes. B92 is pointing out that it has been continually exposed to threats and attacks which had been especially intense after the unilateral proclamation of Kosovo's independence, the arrest of Radovan Karadzic, scheduling and canceling of the Pride Parade, and during the recent attacks on foreign citizens and the brutal murder of the French football fan Brice Taton in Belgrade. The accused of his murder are precisely the people the Insajder was reporting on. Attacks on B92 have ranged from hooligans storming the building and attempts to set it on fire, to physical assaults against journalists and associates which culminated when a B92 TV cameraman was seriously injured while reporting from the protest against the Karadzic arrest. B92 headquarters have been protected by police officers for over a year and some of the journalists often have direct police protection. It is meaningless to speak about the level of the freedom of the media in Serbia considering the conditions our journalists and news desks are working in, Matic says. Statements made by the president, the minister of interior and other highest state officials saying that the state will not tolerate violence and that the perpetrators would be found and tried are welcome but are not enough any longer. Attacks on B92 are no longer isolated incidents, but represent continuous pressure, which the public has been aware of for years. The physical security of the building and of some of the most threatened journalists does not suffice, writes the B92 editor-in-chief and director – because it is clear that is impossible to protect 50 professionals who have to do their work on a daily basis, just as it is impossible to permanently monitor dozens of leaders of football fan groups mentioned in the Insajder series. If the state is truly dedicated to the democratic reforms and the European future, it is necessary to finally determine and say who is behind the attacks on the professional media and bring the ones who are responsible to justice. B92 appeals for solidarity of the democratic public, news and media associations, human rights organizations both in the country and abroad with our reporters who have been exposed to threats, but also for solidarity with a requests to the authorities to provide the conditions so that B92 journalists and those from every other media in Serbia can inform the public about important issues without worrying about their lives and personal safety.

B92 calls on state to protect journalists

Attacks on B92 and threats made against the authors of B92 TV's Insajder investigative program have become more intense and brutal and they have not subsided even after President Boris Tadić reacted on Sunday to announce that the state would not tolerate violence coming from hooligans and criminals.

The president stated that the government had taken all the measures to protect the journalists and announced that the state organs would react according to the law and arrest and put on trial anyone endangering lives of others.

Minister of Interior Ivica Dačić said that Serbian police (MUP) had taken all the necessary steps in order to find the persons who made the threats.

Minister of Justice Snežana Malović also requested finding the perpetrators and giving them stiff punishments.

The latest wave of threats, especially on the internet's social networking websites, the graffiti painted on the walls in Belgrade threatening the Insajder authors with rape, slaughter and murder, have emerged after the airing the first part of an investigative series looking into the issue extreme football fan groups and their leaders.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office has recently requested that a ban be imposed on such groups.

The program informed the public about the content of over 100 reports that the police had made against the leaders of the groups in the past few years, but as a rule there were never any court verdicts in the cases.

The program’s editors obtained the information entirely according to the Law on Information Availability and presented a key problem to the audience – the lack of reaction of the judicial system which has failed to protect the public safety of the citizens.

Threatening, brutal, vulgar and primitive reactions coming from the members and supporters of these criminals and bullies after the first part aired, and after the state representatives reacted, show that they still feel secure, safe from justice, the letter continues.

The threats are also made against the state system institutions, democratic processes, revealing the dominant ideological background of these groups and individuals which is based on xenophobic racism, anti-European ideas, contempt for democracy, while the sexist obsession proves they are seriously disturbed sociopaths with one thing in common – violence, Matić writes.

B92 is pointing out that it has been continually exposed to threats and attacks which had been especially intense after the unilateral proclamation of Kosovo's independence, the arrest of Radovan Karadžić, scheduling and canceling of the Pride Parade, and during the recent attacks on foreign citizens and the brutal murder of the French football fan Brice Taton in Belgrade.

The accused of his murder are precisely the people the Insajder was reporting on.

Attacks on B92 have ranged from hooligans storming the building and attempts to set it on fire, to physical assaults against journalists and associates which culminated when a B92 TV cameraman was seriously injured while reporting from the protest against the Karadžić arrest.

B92 headquarters have been protected by police officers for over a year and some of the journalists often have direct police protection.

It is meaningless to speak about the level of the freedom of the media in Serbia considering the conditions our journalists and news desks are working in, Matić says.

Statements made by the president, the minister of interior and other highest state officials saying that the state will not tolerate violence and that the perpetrators would be found and tried are welcome but are not enough any longer.

Attacks on B92 are no longer isolated incidents, but represent continuous pressure, which the public has been aware of for years.

The physical security of the building and of some of the most threatened journalists does not suffice, writes the B92 editor-in-chief and director – because it is clear that is impossible to protect 50 professionals who have to do their work on a daily basis, just as it is impossible to permanently monitor dozens of leaders of football fan groups mentioned in the Insajder series.

If the state is truly dedicated to the democratic reforms and the European future, it is necessary to finally determine and say who is behind the attacks on the professional media and bring the ones who are responsible to justice.

B92 appeals for solidarity of the democratic public, news and media associations, human rights organizations both in the country and abroad with our reporters who have been exposed to threats, but also for solidarity with a requests to the authorities to provide the conditions so that B92 journalists and those from every other media in Serbia can inform the public about important issues without worrying about their lives and personal safety.