(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is an IFJ press release: **Updates IFEX alerts of 7 May, 3 May, 29 April, 27 April, 26 April, 23 April and 22 April 1999** Media Release May 12th 1999 IFJ Welcomes Release of German Journalist After Mission to Belgrade The IFJ, which a few days ago met with Government ministers […]
(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is an IFJ press release:
**Updates IFEX alerts of 7 May, 3 May, 29 April, 27 April, 26 April, 23
April and 22 April 1999**
Media Release May 12th 1999
IFJ Welcomes Release of German Journalist After Mission to Belgrade
The IFJ, which a few days ago met with Government ministers and Army chiefs
in Belgrade to seek the release of detained journalists, has expressed
delight at the decision to free Pit Schnitzler, a correspondent with SAT 1
television.
“At last there is something for journalists to be cheerful about,” said
Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary, “the authorities in Belgrade have got
the message that journalists will not tolerate the victimisation of their
colleagues in this way.”
The IFJ met with the Minister of Information and the Belgrade military
general in charge of media affairs who agreed to take up the case of
Schnitzler. It was also an issue taken up with the Milosevic government by
the associations of journalists in Serbia.
At least 20 journalists and media workers have died in the conflict so far
as a result of assassination or as victims of the bombing campaign. “The
deaths of journalists are a tragedy, but so is the continued misery of our
colleagues from Kosovo who have been displaced,” said Aidan White. “We must
redouble our efforts to make sure that all journalists are taken out of the
firing line and that independent media are allowed to work freely throughout
the region.”
There are still two journalists in prison in the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia, Antun Masle of Globus from Zagreb who is believed to be under
investigation for allegedly revealing military secrets, and Nobjsa Ristic,
editor of Soko TV who has been sentenced to one year for publicly displaying
a poster “Free Press Made in Serbia” which had a B92 stamp on it.
The IFJ represents more than 450,000 journalists in 100 countries. It is the
largest organisation of journalists in the world and represents journalistsâ
groups from all republics and territories in the region of former
Yugoslavia.
