Press release

BELGRADE, 25 February 2008 - The Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Ambassador Hans Ola Urstad, criticized violent attacks aimed at journalists following last week's "Kosovo is Serbia" rally in Belgrade.

He said: "Targeted or indiscriminate violence or threats against those who cover news stories is a serious violation of journalists' rights to carry out their work freely and objectively report on the current events in the country."

"Serbian citizens as well as others are thus denied their right to a free and open flow of information. Freedom of expression is enshrined in numerous international agreements and in the constitutions of most countries, including Serbia."

Ambassador Urstad condemned the ongoing direct threats against B92 and other media and called for better protection of all national and international journalists.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Miklos Haraszti, also decried the violence and both explicit and indirect threats against media, and emphasized that "also during times of tension or unauthorized demonstrations, journalists must be allowed to carry out their duty to report."