Beating up Media

[Ivo Skoric]

In Serbia, when all else fails to persuade independent journalists to 
behave, ministers take things in their own hands, or, rather, in the 
hands of their security detail...

ACTION ALERT - SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO

22 April 2004

Owner of Belgrade dailies attacked and threatened

SOURCE: International Press Institute (IPI), Vienna

**For further information on the previous attack against Rodic, see 
IFEX alerts of 11 and 7 July 2003**

(IPI/IFEX) - The following is a 22 April 2004 letter by the South 
East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an IPI affiliate:

H.E. Vojislav Kostunica
Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia
Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
Fax: +381 11 3617 609

H.E. Dragan Jocic
Minister of Interior Affairs of the Republic of Serbia
Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
Fax: +381 11 3617 814

Vienna, 22 April 2004

Your Excellency,

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a 
network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South 
East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute 
(IPI), strongly condemns the physical attack on Radisav Rodic, owner 
of Belgrade dailies Glas javnosti and Kurier.

According to information before SEEMO, on Monday evening, 19 April 
2004, Srdjan Adzemovic Adzem, the security chief of the Serbian 
Minister of Capital Investment, Velimir Ilic, physically attacked 
Rodic in a parking lot in Belgrade and made death threats against 
him.

We would like to remind Your Excellencies that Rodic has already been 
the target of a physical attack. On 6 July 2003, his car was blown up 
in a Belgrade street, while he was having lunch in a nearby 
restaurant, but the perpetrators have not yet been found.

Therefore, SEEMO condemns the attacks on Rodic as well as other 
methods used to intimidate and threaten journalists and their 
families in Serbia.
SEEMO calls for the urgent police investigation and punishment of the
perpetrators. We remind you that ensuring secure working conditions 
for journalists is one of the most fundamental principles of every 
democratic society.

We thank you for your attention.

Yours sincerely,

Oliver Vujovic
SEEMO Secretary General

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Similar appeals can be sent to:

H.E. Vojislav Kostunica
Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia
Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
Fax: +381 11 3617 609

H.E. Dragan Jocic
Minister of Interior Affairs of the Republic of Serbia
Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
Fax: +381 11 3617 814

Please copy appeals to the source if possible.

For further information, contact IPI at Spiegelgasse 2/29, A-1010 
Vienna, Austria, tel: +43 1 512 90 11, fax: +43 1 512 90 14, e-mail:
ipi at freemedia.at, Internet site: http://www.freemedia.at, or SEEMO,
Spiegelgasse 2/29, 1010 Vienna, Austria, tel (SEEMO+HELP LINE): +43 1 
513 39 40,  tel (SEEMO): +43 1 512 90 11 11,  fax: +43 1 512 90 15, e-
mail: info at seemo.org, Internet site://www.seemo.org

The information contained in this action alert is the sole 
responsibility of IPI. In citing this material for broadcast or 
publication, please credit IPI.
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_________________________________________________________________ 
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Ivo Skoric
19 Baxter Street
Rutland VT 05701
802.775.7257
ivo at balkansnet.org
balkansnet.org