OSCE media freedom representative strongly condemns attack on B92 and its journalists

VIENNA, 16 February 2011 - OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today condemned the intimidation campaign against independent Serbian broadcaster B92 and its editors.

On yesterday’s television programme “Insajder”, B92 reported about alleged corruption cases at the state-owned Kolubara coal mine in the town of Lazarevac. Today, numerous poster-size notices announcing the death of the B92 were put up in Lazarevac. The posters say that B92 “died of a long and severe anti-Serbian illness” and list the names of the editor-in-chief and journalists of the television station.

“I am very concerned about this public attack against B92 and its journalists. Authors of the ‘Insajder’ programme have been for a long time facing large-scale intimidation and attempts to silence their critical voices. This reaction to a TV programme, apart from being distasteful, is a serious attack on the democratic values of the country,” Mijatović said.

This is the second time that anti-B92 posters were put up after the investigative “Insajder” programme reported about alleged irregularities at the Kolubara mine. The first series of posters appeared on 2 February.

Mijatović welcomed the pledge of Minister of Interior, Ivica Dačić, to protect the B92 journalists and asked the authorities to declare the swift investigation into the case a priority, like they did in previous cases of attacks on media freedom.

“Instances of intimidation of media are direct attempts to undermine democracy itself and need to be met with immediate condemnation,” she said. “I hope that the authorities of Serbia will do their utmost to promote a safe working environment for journalists.”