OSCE representative condemns physical attack against journalist in Skopje, hopes police investigation will swiftly bring perpetrators to justice

VIENNA, 21 January 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, today condemned a physical attack against a journalist in Skopje last Saturday.

On 19 January, during an event celebrating the Orthodox Christian holiday of Epiphany in the city centre, Mirjana Mircevska-Jovanović, a Kanal 5 journalist, was assaulted while carrying out her work. She began receiving verbal and physical attacks by security guards after attempting to pose questions to a participant at the event. Mircevska-Jovanović sustained arm and neck injuries.

“Journalists must be safe to perform their professional activities without being intimidated, threatened or attacked. I hope that the investigation launched by the authorities will swiftly identify and bring the perpetrators to justice,” stated Désir, adding that targeting journalists because of their work is an attack on the public’s right to be informed.

The Representative welcomed the swift reactions and condemnations by the political parties, SDSM, VMRO-DPMNE and DS, as well as the Associations of Journalists AJM and MAN, the Independent Union of Journalists, the Council for Ethics in the Media (CEMM), and the Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services (AVMU).

“It is important that every incident is condemned by the local authorities,” said Désir, expressing hope that public condemnation from high-level officials would contribute to preventing similar attacks in the future.