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ODRAZ B92, Belgrade Daily News Service

World Media Organizations' Action Alert, December 4, 1996

e-mail: beograd@siicom.com URL: http://www.siicom.com/odrazb/

odrazb92@b92.opennet.org http://www.siicom.com/b92/

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All texts are Copyright 1996 Radio B92. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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WORLD MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS' ACTION ALERT

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In the wake of the increasingly fierce campaign waged by official

Belgrade against the independent media in Serbia and Montenegro,

several of the world media organizations have launched a counter-

offensive aimed at protecting and indeed at least partially

restoring freedom of the press in FR Yugoslavia (Serbia and

Montenegro).

In the last couple of days, both Reporteres sans frontiers (FRS)

and the International Freedom of Expression community (IFEX), as

well as the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), have announced

a series of steps intended to [a] give immediate assistance to the

independent news agency Beta and to Radio B92, and [b] mobilize

enough international pressure on the government in Belgrade to

lift its ban on Radio B92 and the 5 independent radio stations in

Cacak, all of which are no longer permitted to broadcast their

programs.

In its Dec 2 Press Release, CPJ/IFEX express their joint concern

``at the crackdown against the opposition and independent media in

connection with Serbia's 17 November 1996 municipal elections.''

CPJ goes on to add that ``news outlets have faced harsh

retaliation for covering the widespread demonstrations to protest

Slobodan Milosevic's nullification of opposition candidates'

victories in most Serbian cities during the elections.''

Besides today's ban on Radio B92, Serbian authorities have also

ordered the closing down of Radio Ozon, Radio Soliter, Dzoker

Radio, Radio 96 and Star FM in Cacak, ``one of the cities where

the opposition defeated Milosevic supporters in the recent local

elections.'' Furthermore, the International Federation of

Journalists reported on 27 Nov that the state-owned Borba

publishing house refused to print more than 70,000 copies of the

daily ``Blic,'' a newspaper whose circulation since the onset of

the protests has been 250,000 copies a day.

In its press release today, the International Federation of

Journalists (IFJ) characterized Yugoslav government's bureaucratic

decision to close the only radio stations covering opposition

protests as an ``act of war'' against the freedom of the press.

IFJ General Secretary Aidan White, who visits Sarajevo tomorrow,

said that today's banning of Radio B92 is a ``declaration of war

on democracy and press freedom.'' He also condemned the decision

to close the student radio station ``Index'' and so silence the

only independent broadcasters in Belgrade.

``The excuse for the action against Radio B92 is a petty and

bureaucratic one of contractual obligations. It is nonsense.''

``In reality, the Milosevic regime has demonstrated clearly what

independent journalists have known for years -- it is a government

of censorship with contempt for press freedom.''

``At a time when the people of FRY are taking to the streets to

reclaim their democratic rights, the government of Milosevic has

shown its true colors to the international community. It is

fundamental that Western governments respond vigorously,'' said

Mr. White.

CPJ and IFEX urge the international community to respond to this

crackdown on independent media by sending appeals to the

authorities below. CPJ/IFEX recommend that your appeals:

state that the latest attempts to silence the independent

media in Serbia are blatant and gross violations of

international standards for press freedom

point out that these and other attacks against the independent

media in Serbia constitute an unacceptable interference by

President Milosevic and his ruling party in independent media

coverage in Serbia

urging them to ensure that the harassment against Radio B92

ceases immediately and that the station be permitted to report

and broadcast freely

call for reversals in the banning of Radio Ozon, Radio

Soliter, Dzoker Radio, Radio 96 and Star FM, as well as

guarantees that ``Blic'''s printing rights will be restored

APPEALS TO:

His Excellency Slobodan Milosevic

President of Serbia

Fax: +381--11--656--862

His Excellency Zoran Lilic

President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Fax: +381--11--656--862

Aleksandar Tijanic

Minister of Information

Republic of Serbia

Fax: +381--11--685--937

Dragutin Brcin

Federal Minister of Information

Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Fax: +381--11--600--446

The Paris based Reporteres sans Frontieres join the CPJ/IFEX in

urging the world community to defend freedom of speech in Serbia

and Montenegro. The following is the full English text of RSF's

press release dated Dec 3, 1996 (originally in French).

Reporters sans frontieres (RSF), Paris

Press Release: RF Yugoslavia (Serbia)

Urgent Help for Independent Media

Having shown his contempt for the rights of the electorate,

Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic has now revealed his

hostility towards the freedom of the press. Official Serbian

media, its radio-television but also its print media such as the

daily Politika, are behaving exactly like propaganda tools in the

service of the head of state--to the point where 45 Politika

journalists protested (on Nov 27) against the coverage their

newspaper has so far given to the street protests in Belgrade.

The reach of the independent media, who have been opposing the

authorities in both Belgrade and other cities and towns in Serbia,

is now seriously curtailed by heavy pressures from above.

According to our information, Radio B92 and the UofB student radio

Index ceased broadcasting their programs at 14:30 today. B92

broadcasts have been jammed for the last several days. The

printing of the daily ``Blic'' is in a disarray; 5 radio stations

in Cacak (a town 100 miles west of Belgrade) have been closed

down; and in Montenegro, authorities have also put additional

pressure on Antenna M, which used to broadcast news programs

prepared by Radio B92.

Faced with such a situation, RSF has, as its first step, decided

to immediately send relief funds of 50,000 francs (US$9,550) to

the independent news agency Beta and to Radio B92. Material aid

alone cannot, however, stop the Serbian authorities from crushing

the independent media there. Only a full mobilization of the

European Union, the United States, and all other countries who

want to see a true peace established in the nations of former

Yugoslavia can prevent a total crackdown. RSF therefore urges

governments of all countries interested in seeing such a peace in

the Balkans to take quick and energetic steps as soon as possible

to ensure that the pressure on Serbian independent media is

lifted.

Prepared by: Aleksandra Scepanovic

Edited by: Vaska Andjelkovic (Tumir)

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ODRAZ B92, Belgrade Daily News Service

e-mail: beograd@siicom.com URL: http://www.siicom.com/odrazb/

odrazb92@b92.opennet.org http://www.siicom.com/b92/

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