Kosovo

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is expressing concern regarding recent threats against Albanian language media in Kosovo. According to RSF’s information, on 16 December 1998, Serbian Information Minister Aleksander Vucic sent a letter to several Albanian language newspapers in Pristina (main city in Kosovo) threatenening them with lawsuits. These threats are notably directed at the dailies “Bujku” […]

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – On 14 October 1998, ARTICLE 19 called for “an immediate, clear and determined response” by the international Contact Group to the latest crackdown on Serbia’s independent media. Over the last three days, newspapers and broadcasters have forcibly been closed by the Serbian authorities, with equipment seized and threats of further action. Frances […]

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is protesting a recent act of police violence against a cameraman from Kosovo in the town of Pristina, located in the south. According to RSF, on 5 October 1998, Sulejman Klokoqi, cameraman with the American agency APTN, was beaten by police after having been summoned to the police station in Pristina. The […]

(HRW/IFEX) – According to HRW, an ethnic Serbian journalist and his driver have been missing for five days, and are feared abducted by members of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) in the province of Kosovo. Djuro Slavuj and his driver, Ranko Perinic, both of Radio Prishtina, were last seen in the city of Orahovac on […]

(HRW/IFEX) – On 19 August 1998, HRW expressed deep concern about the most recent arrest of an ethnic Albanian journalist in the war-torn province of Kosovo. Musa Kurhasku, correspondent for the largest Albanian-language daily newspaper, “Koha Ditore”, was taken into police custody on 19 August 1998, around 3:00 p.m. (local time) from his home in […]

(HRW/IFEX) – On 19 August 1998, HRW expressed deep concern about the most recent arrest of an ethnic Albanian journalist in the war-torn province of Kosovo. Musa Kurhasku, correspondent for the largest Albanian-language daily newspaper, “Koha Ditore”, was taken into police custody on 19 August 1998, around 3:00 p.m. (local time) from his home in […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 14 August 1998, reporter Friedhelm Brebeck and his two cameramen were expelled from Kosovo. The journalists, who work for the German public television channel ARD, were officially accused by authorities of having incited Albanians to set fire to a house in Junik in order to film footage of it. Brebeck categorically denies […]

(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 […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – CPJ has learned that on 6 July 1998, two British correspondents, travelling with the so-called Kosovo Observer Mission in war-torn western areas of the breakaway Yugoslav province of Kosovo, were beaten by plainclothes Serbian police near the village of Prekaz. Kurt Schork, of the Reuters news agency, and Anthony Lloyd, of the “Times” […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 22 June 1998, a vehicle belonging to the Danish television channel TV2 was the target of gunfire by Serbian police in Glogovac, in the centre of Kosovo province. Automatic gunfire struck the vehicle; however, no one inside was hurt. It was clearly marked that the journalists were driving in a press vehicle. […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – On March 19 1998, at least two television cameramen working for Western agencies were beaten by plainclothes policemen while attempting to film mass demonstrations in Prishtina. Taras Protsyuk, a Ukrainian camera operator working for Reuters TV, was attacked from behind as he shot footage of a weeping Albanian woman who said she had […]

On 31 July 1996, Gani Kosumi, a freelance sports journalist and stringer with Albanian Radio and Television, was detained by police for several hours. He was arrested during the break up by police of the Convention of the Kosovo Federation of Football. He was questioned about sporting organisations and journalism by Albanians in Kosovo. Agim […]

**Updates IFEX alert dated 11 April 1996** On 10 April 1996, the Prosecutor General’s Office allowed the Albanian-language weekly “Koha” to resume publishing. Furthermore, the Office reportedly told the manager of the printing press that he could proceed once again with printing “Koha” without submitting their material for approval beforehand. Recommended Action Send appeals to […]

On 7 April 1996, six police officers entered the printing house of “Koha”, an Albanian-language weekly in Pristina, Kosovo, and ordered the stoppage of the printing presses until the issue’s contents were inspected. The police also questioned the owner of the printing house for two hours. The police then insisted that by order of the […]

The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN wrote to President Milosevic of Serbia on 19 June 1995 expressing concern at the continued pattern of harassment and arrest of writers and journalists in Kosovo. Indicative of this pattern of abuse of the rights to freedom of expression are the reports of the arrest and in […]