(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is protesting the fines imposed on Albanian-language newspapers in the south of Kosovo. According to RSF’s information, on 22 March 1999, the main Albanian-language daily in Kosovo, “Koha Ditore”, was sentenced to pay a fine of 520,000 dinars (US$51,682, FF308,320, Euro 47,000) further to a complaint lodged by Alexander Vucic, Serbia’s Information […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is protesting the fines imposed on Albanian-language
newspapers in the south of Kosovo. According to RSF’s information, on 22
March 1999, the main Albanian-language daily in Kosovo, “Koha Ditore”,
was
sentenced to pay a fine of 520,000 dinars (US$51,682, FF308,320, Euro
47,000) further to a complaint lodged by Alexander Vucic, Serbia’s
Information Minister. The newspaper is accused of having “propagated
intolerance and hate among the nations and national minorities in
Serbia.” A
short time earlier, two other Albanian-language publications, the daily
“Kosova sot” and the bi-monthly “Gazeta Sqiptare”, were sentenced to pay
1.6
million dinar fines (US$159,000, FF957,760, Euro146,000) each. “Kosova
sot”
suspended publication after copies of the newspaper were seized by
police.
Another daily, “Rilindja”, was closed in early March for “publishing
illegaly,” while “Bujku”, a periodical which is close to the Democratic
League of Kosovo (LDK), has not published since last January.
**New case and update to IFEX alerts of 19 March, 16 March and 15 March
1999**
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the Justice Minister:
media
in Kosovo
imposed on Albanian newspapers are lifted
Appeals To
Mr. Zoran Knezevic
Minister of Justice
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Fax: +381 11 636 775
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
