(IFJ/IFEX) – In a 1 October 2001 letter to President Milan Kucan, IFJ expressed concern over the lack of progress made by the investigation into the attack against Miro Petek. According to IFJ’s information, Petek, an investigative journalist for the daily “Vecer”, was brutally beaten outside his house on 28 February. His nose, skull, jaw […]
(IFJ/IFEX) – In a 1 October 2001 letter to President Milan Kucan, IFJ expressed concern over the lack of progress made by the investigation into the attack against Miro Petek.
According to IFJ’s information, Petek, an investigative journalist for the daily “Vecer”, was brutally beaten outside his house on 28 February. His nose, skull, jaw and cheek-bones were all fractured, he lost his sense of smell and damaged his eyesight. Petek had published a number of articles on corruption between local businessmen and the local authorities including the police.
Despite public assurances from Marko Pogorevec, head of the Slovene Police, that the attackers would soon be caught, no progress has been made in the case. Furthermore on 3 September, the police accused the media of being responsible for the inefficiency of the police.
According to IFJ, in a democracy investigative journalists play a crucial role in exposing corruption and the forces that undermine that democracy. In doing so they also expose themselves to great personal risk. For this reason it is essential that the authorities give proper protection to journalists receiving threats and fully investigate any attack against a journalist that may be linked to their investigative work.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the president:
– urging him to ensure that the police redouble their efforts to bring the attackers to justice and fully investigate any leads linking the attackers to the articles published
– noting that should the police fail to identify the perpetrators it may be necessary to launch an independent inquiry into the case, not least because the police themselves were implicated in the corruption scandals published by Petek
Appeals To
Milan Kucan
President of the Republic of Slovenia
Erjavceva 17
1000 Ljubljana
Slovenia
E-mail: spela.furlan@up-rs.si
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
