(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is a 29 March 1999 IFJ press release: **Updates IFEX alerts of 29 March 1999** Media Release March 29th 1999 IFJ Condemns Kosovo Media Murders: “Senseless Attack on Democracy and Human Rights” The International Federation of Journalists today condemned the murder of a leading Kosovo journalist and the killing of a […]
(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is a 29 March 1999 IFJ press release:
**Updates IFEX alerts of 29 March 1999**
Media Release
March 29th 1999
IFJ Condemns Kosovo Media Murders: “Senseless Attack on Democracy and Human
Rights”
The International Federation of Journalists today condemned the murder of a
leading Kosovo journalist and the killing of a member of a Russian media
team.
“These killings are a brutal and senseless attack on democracy and human
rights,” said Aidan White, the IFJ General Secretary, “They intensify hatred
and increase the dangers for all journalists in the region.”
The IFJ reacted after the news given by NATO sources of the execution of
Baton Haxhiu, editor in chief of Koha Ditore, and the killing by a sniper of
Nenad Stojkovic, a 27-year-old driver with a Russian crew of journalists as
they made their way to Belgrade, which was reported by the Association of
Independent Electronic Media.
“Serbia’s leaders need to realise that killing journalists does not win
wars – it only increases fear and ignorance and strikes at the heart of
democracy,” said White, from the IFJ headquarters in Brussels.
The IFJ has reiterated its call for all sides in the conflict to avoid
trying to manipulate media and the work of journalists. “There is a
frightening escalation in the amount of rumour and unsubstantiated gossip.
Journalists must be allowed to verify and corroborate much of what they are
being told – and to do that they must be allowed to work freely,” said
White.
The IFJ has continued efforts to send an urgent international delegation to
Belgrade to try to help journalists on the spot, both foreign correspondents
and local reporters who are coming under pressure.
“We have many reports of journalists from different nationalities who are
trapped and have suffered harassment. The independent media is being
severely restricted. This is a media crisis which requires urgent action,”
said the IFJ.
The IFJ represents more than 450,000 journalists in 101 countries. It is the
largest organisation of journalists in the world and represents journalists’
groups from all republics and territories in the region of former
Yugoslavia.
