(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – On 14 October 1998, ARTICLE 19 called for “an immediate, clear and determined response” by the international Contact Group to the latest crackdown on Serbia’s independent media. Over the last three days, newspapers and broadcasters have forcibly been closed by the Serbian authorities, with equipment seized and threats of further action. Frances […]
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – On 14 October 1998, ARTICLE 19 called for “an immediate,
clear and determined response” by the international Contact Group to the
latest crackdown on Serbia’s independent media. Over the last three days,
newspapers and broadcasters have forcibly been closed by the Serbian
authorities, with equipment seized and threats of further action. Frances
D’Souza, Executive Director of ARTICLE 19, said:
“Serbia’s fledgling independent media is key to establishing an environment
conducive to a peaceful and long term solution to the Kosovo dilemma.
However, the international community has allowed six months of harassment,
culminating in the police raids on newspapers and broadcast stations.
“Western governments are rightly applauding the agreement over Kosovo
brokered by US special envoy Richard Holbrooke and the international
verification process that it will put in train, but even as they do so the
Milosevic government is ensuring that local independent verification is
virtually impossible,” she added.
Milosevic has repeatedly attacked the independent media, particularly when
he judges that international attention is diverted, meanwhile ensuring that
the state media provide blanket support and maximum coverage for hardline
policies.
Yesterday, the Belgrade daily “Danas” was shut down under a recent decree
which allows newspapers to be banned and their equipment seized if they are
deemed to be fomenting “fear”, “panic” or “defeatism” in the face of
threatened military action by NATO. The same decree has also now been used
against at least two other newspapers, “Dnevni Telegraf” and “Nasa Borba”,
although it appears to breach the FRY’s own constitution.
Frances D’Souza further stated: “Clearly, Milosevic is assuming that the
Kosovo deal has eased pressure sufficiently to silence his internal critics
with impunity. He must not be
proved right. The international community – especially the Contact Group –
must obtain firm guarantees of media freedom. If the independent media are
censored, what credibility can there be in claims of ‘transparency’ and what
hope for effective verification of the Kosovo agreement?”
