(RSF/IFEX) – On 17 September 2002, RSF condemned the harassment of two Swedish journalists investigating neo-Nazi activities and called on the authorities to take action. On 15 September, documentary filmmaker Bjoern Lockstroem and Olof Abrahamsson, a photographer with the newspaper “Kvals Posten”, were covering the Karlskrona municipal elections, in which candidates from the neo-Nazi National […]
(RSF/IFEX) – On 17 September 2002, RSF condemned the harassment of two Swedish journalists investigating neo-Nazi activities and called on the authorities to take action.
On 15 September, documentary filmmaker Bjoern Lockstroem and Olof Abrahamsson, a photographer with the newspaper “Kvals Posten”, were covering the Karlskrona municipal elections, in which candidates from the neo-Nazi National Socialist Front were running. During the elections, they parked near a group of neo-Nazis who recognised Lockstroem. The neo-Nazis chased after the journalists in six cars through town, but the two managed to escape safely.
“Bjoern Lockstroem has been threatened several times before for his reporting on illegal neo-Nazi activities,” said RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard. “They know him and he takes a risk every time he covers their activities. We urge the authorities to be more vigilant about neo-Nazi threats against the media,” stated Ménard.
On 19 May, five neo-Nazis smashed the windows of Lockstroem’s house in Motala (245 km southwest of Stockholm). The attackers were arrested soon afterwards at a roadblock carrying clubs and tear gas grenades.
