(HRW/IFEX) – The Albanian-language newspaper “Koha Ditore” resumed publication from Macedonia on 22 April 1999. **Updates IFEX alerts of 26 March, 25 March, 23 March, and 22 March 1999** Before its March closure by Serb police, “Koha Ditore” was the largest and most influential Albanian-language newspaper in Kosovo. On 22 March, the newspaper and its […]
(HRW/IFEX) – The Albanian-language newspaper “Koha Ditore” resumed
publication from Macedonia on 22 April 1999.
**Updates IFEX alerts of 26 March, 25 March, 23 March, and 22 March 1999**
Before its March closure by Serb police, “Koha Ditore” was the largest and
most influential Albanian-language newspaper in Kosovo. On 22 March, the
newspaper and its editor, Baton Haxhiu, were convicted for publishing
information that “incited hatred between nationalities,” according to
article 67 of Serbia’s controversial Law on Public Information. (For more
information about Mr. Haxhiu’s conviction, please see the Human Rights Watch
22 March press release, available on the Human Rights Watch website). The
paper was fined 420,000 dinars (US$26,800) and Haxhiu personally was fined
110,000 dinars (US$7,200). On 24 March, Serbian police shot and killed the
guard at the “Koha Ditore” newspaper office in Pristina, and then ransacked
the office.
