(IFJ/IFEX) – On 5 August 1998, the IFJ condemned the arrest of Zeke Gecaj, editor of “Bujku”, and President of the Alliance of Kosovo Journalists. Gecaj was stopped by police in Prishtina on the night of 4 August, and was questioned for one hour. He was instructed to return to the police station on 5 […]
(IFJ/IFEX) – On 5 August 1998, the IFJ condemned the arrest of Zeke Gecaj,
editor of “Bujku”, and President of the Alliance of Kosovo Journalists.
Gecaj was stopped by police in Prishtina on the night of 4 August, and was
questioned for one hour. He was instructed to return to the police station
on 5 August and since his return this morning at 8:00 a.m. (local time) he
has been held in detention. The IFJ believes that the sole reason for his
arrest was that his permanent address is situated in a Kosovo Liberation
Army (KLA) held area.
This latest attack against a journalist follows various events including the
beating of journalists by Serbian police, harassment by state agents and
restrictions being placed on the free movement of journalists (for
background information, see IFEX alert of 13 July 1998).
“At a time of such heightened internal strife, it is essential that the
population receive accurate information and that journalists be entitled to
carry out their profession. The war in Bosnia showed us how journalists were
manipulated by Belgrade to propagate hatred, and how independent journalists
were oppressed. Everything must be done to prevent this happening in
Kosovo”, said Bettina Peters, Deputy General Secretary of the IFJ.
The IFJ called on the international community to include the oppression of
journalists in the litany of human rights abuses of which they accuse the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
“Independent media will continue to run risks to themselves in order to
inform, but if the international community stands behind them they will no
longer be a soft target for the authorities”, concluded Peters.
