Concern over threats against B92 reporters

The OSCE Mission, EC Delegation and Office of the Council of Europe in Belgrade expressed their concern about threats made against B92 TV reporters. “Silencing the voices of journalists has a discouraging effect on the development of democracy which needs an atmosphere free of intimidation,” reads a joint statement that came in the wake of threats made against B92 TV journalist Brankica Stankovic, whose investigative program Insajder (Insider) recently explored hooliganism and crime. Concern over threats against B92 reporters The three institutions welcomed police efforts to protect personal safety of Stankovic and other journalists and called upon the Serbian authorities to arrest those responsible for the threats, and continue to carry out measures in order to provide the safe environment for the journalists. Meanwhile, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its European group the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) expressed their deep concern about serious threats against Serbian journalists working for B92 and other independent media. "At the moment when Serbia is seriously considering its application for EU accession, it is unacceptable that there are still journalists working in fear of physical attacks just because they carry out their duty," said IFJ General Secretary Aidan White. The IFJ and its members, the Journalists' Association of Serbia and the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia welcomed President Boris Tadic's undertaking to take all the measures necessary to protect journalists in accordance with the law and to arrest and prosecute anyone threatening other people's lives. "However, despite these public assurances followed by the Minister of Interior Ivica Dacic's statement that the police were actively working to identify the persons behind the threats to B92 and the call from the Minister of Justice Snezana Malovic for the perpetrators to be tracked down and severely punished, messages on online social networks and graffiti sprayed on Belgrade walls still threaten the editors of the Insider show with rape, slaughter and murder, in particular after a program featuring leaders of banned football fan groups who escaped Court convictions so far," the statement said. "Serbian society and media made a lot of progress towards democracy in the past years, but these threats and attacks still represent a real challenge", said White. The IFJ believes that B92 is the most exposed media because of its record of independence and in depth investigation even during the terrible years of the Milosevic regime. The IFJ and the EFJ say that if police and justice are able to identify those behind these threats and attacks against journalist, then concrete action is needed to bring them before justice, the statement concluded.

Concern over threats against B92 reporters

The three institutions welcomed police efforts to protect personal safety of Stanković and other journalists and called upon the Serbian authorities to arrest those responsible for the threats, and continue to carry out measures in order to provide the safe environment for the journalists.

Meanwhile, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its European group the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) expressed their deep concern about serious threats against Serbian journalists working for B92 and other independent media.

"At the moment when Serbia is seriously considering its application for EU accession, it is unacceptable that there are still journalists working in fear of physical attacks just because they carry out their duty," said IFJ General Secretary Aidan White.

The IFJ and its members, the Journalists' Association of Serbia and the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia welcomed President Boris Tadić's undertaking to take all the measures necessary to protect journalists in accordance with the law and to arrest and prosecute anyone threatening other people's lives.

"However, despite these public assurances followed by the Minister of Interior Ivica Dačić's statement that the police were actively working to identify the persons behind the threats to B92 and the call from the Minister of Justice Snežana Malović for the perpetrators to be tracked down and severely punished, messages on online social networks and graffiti sprayed on Belgrade walls still threaten the editors of the Insider show with rape, slaughter and murder, in particular after a program featuring leaders of banned football fan groups who escaped Court convictions so far," the statement said.

"Serbian society and media made a lot of progress towards democracy in the past years, but these threats and attacks still represent a real challenge", said White.

The IFJ believes that B92 is the most exposed media because of its record of independence and in depth investigation even during the terrible years of the Milošević regime. The IFJ and the EFJ say that if police and justice are able to identify those behind these threats and attacks against journalist, then concrete action is needed to bring them before justice, the statement concluded.