23. 02. 2012

ANEM STRONGLY CONDEMNS ATTACK ON A TV STUDIO B CREW

Belgrade, February 23, 2012 - The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) strongly condemns the attack on a TV Studio B crew. Studio B says that on February 22, at the intersection of Cara Dusana Street and Tadeusa Koscuska Street in downtown Belgrade, their journalist, cameraman and assistant were recording a report about the functioning of public transport in the city. Dejan Z., aged 35, first threw insults at them from the balcony of a nearby building and then came outside and physically attacked the assistant cameraman, hitting him in the head and stomach.

The police arrested the attacker and put him in 48-hour custody because of a reasonable suspicion of committing the criminal offense of disturbing the public order; legal charges were brought against him. The police say that the attacker explained that he had attacked the TV Studio B television crew because "they are making commercials while people in Serbia live in poverty".

ANEM has already called attention to several recent cases of attacks on media companies and journalists, pointing out that the pressure exerted on them was growing stronger in the anticipation of parliamentary and local elections. It seems that journalists and cameramen from Serbian media have become hostages to the perception that even the most routine reporting on functioning of public transport constitutes a disguised election campaign.

ANEM calls on all the officials of political parties that intend to take part in the forthcoming elections, as well as all the participants in the public debate on issues of public importance, to express their solidarity with the attacked journalists and cameramen and make their contribution to creation of an atmosphere in which journalists and the media will be able to do their job and report on issues of interest to the public without any pressure or fear for their safety.

ANEM President, Sasa Mirkovic