PEN expresses its concern over Veran Matic’s detention

(PEN/IFEX) – PEN American Center expressed grave concern about the 24 March 1999 arrest and detention of Radio B92 editor-in-chief Veran Matic, who was released shortly before noon (local time) after being held in police custody for more than eight hours without access to family or lawyers. According to PEN’s information, neither Matic, who is […]

(PEN/IFEX) – PEN American Center expressed grave concern about the 24
March
1999 arrest and detention of Radio B92 editor-in-chief Veran Matic, who
was
released shortly before noon (local time) after being held in police
custody
for more than eight hours without access to family or lawyers. According
to
PEN’s information, neither Matic, who is also the chairman of
Yugoslavia’s
Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM), nor Radio B92’s
lawyers
have received any official information about the reasons for Matic’s
arrest
and detention. Radio B92 was taken off the air at 2:50 a.m. on 24 March
when
station staff complied with a written order delivered by ministry
inspectors
who seized transmission equipment, preventing the resumption of
transmissions.

PEN is deeply distressed by this alarming increase in government
suppression
of the independent media, demonstrated by the arrest of Matic and
disruption
to Radio B92’s broadcasts. These tactics violate international law and
exacerbate unrest, division and fear in the people of Yugoslavia and
send a
clear message of intransigence to the international community.

Independent media and freedom of expression are essential to provide
reliable information to the people of Yugoslavia, counter human rights
abuses and war crimes, and alert the international community about
critical
developments in the region.

Recommended Action

H.E. Slobodan Milosevic

Federal President

Savesna Skupstina

11000 Belgrade, Serbia

Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Fax: +381 11 636 775

E-mail: slobodan.milosevic@gov.yu