18. 10. 2011

UNACCEPTABLE PRESSURE ON LOCAL MEDIA

Belgrade, October 18, 2011 - The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) strongly protests against the series of attacks on a member of the Association, Radio-Television Prima from Bajina Basta.

Near the end of the last week and during the weekend, the studio of Radio-Television Prima from Bajina Basta was pelted with stones. Several windows on the building were broken and three tires slit on the company's car. Radio-Television Prima said that this had been the third attack on their company vehicle in the last three months.

ANEM points out that pressure on the media and attempts to their abuse are increasing in the run-up to parliamentary and local elections. All means are being used, from "friendly suggestions", economic pressure to open threats and violent attacks.

ANEM urges the authorities to immediately investigate the background of attacks on Radio-Television Prima from Bajina Basta and punish the perpetrators. This is necessary to prevent the transition from vandalistic attacks on property of the media to physical attacks on journalists and editors themselves.

ANEM expresses its full solidarity with Radio-Television Prima staff, as well as those of all other media outlets that have been exposed to threats and pressure because of the nature of their work. ANEM demands that the state authorities and the local self-government in Bajina Basta, as well as all other regions in Serbia where journalists have been threatened, take all necessary measures to guarantee the safety of journalists and their editorial offices, and to ensure appropriate environment for exercise of the right to freedom of expression, media operations and full realization of their role in the democratic society. Realization of that role requires facilitating a widest possible public debate on all issues of public interest, which would take place without any fear for personal safety of all its participants.

Sasa Mirkovic, ANEM President