Protest over police beating of reporter

Beta news agency has officially protested a police beating of its journalist reporting from a Tuesday rally in Belgrade. In clashes that broke out between riot police and hooligans on the fringes of a pro-Karadzic rally, Milos Djorlijevski was allegedly assaulted and hit repeatedly on the head by several officers. Protest over police beating of reporter Yesterday, the news agency sent a letter of protest to Interior Minister Ivica Dacic, saying that Djorlijevski was injured despite clearly identifying himself as a journalist. "We demand that you take action against the Interior Ministry officers, who beat up our reporter and punish them, because it is clear that they exceeded their authority, and inflicted injuries on a reporter on the job, as a result of which he had to undergo surgery," says the letter. Beta also said its journalist was doing nothing to give the policemen cause to intervene, that he had stood aside during the police intervention against violent demonstrators and had clearly identified himself as a reporter to the policemen. "We are certain that it is in the interest of both you and the Interior Ministry to punish those responsible for this incident, so as to prevent similar situations from happening again, especially because you advocated the protection of journalists and their treatment as officials," the agency said.

Protest over police beating of reporter

Yesterday, the news agency sent a letter of protest to Interior Minister Ivica Dačić, saying that Đorlijevski was injured despite clearly identifying himself as a journalist.

"We demand that you take action against the Interior Ministry officers, who beat up our reporter and punish them, because it is clear that they exceeded their authority, and inflicted injuries on a reporter on the job, as a result of which he had to undergo surgery," says the letter.

Beta also said its journalist was doing nothing to give the policemen cause to intervene, that he had stood aside during the police intervention against violent demonstrators and had clearly identified himself as a reporter to the policemen.

"We are certain that it is in the interest of both you and the Interior Ministry to punish those responsible for this incident, so as to prevent similar situations from happening again, especially because you advocated the protection of journalists and their treatment as officials," the agency said.