25. 07. 2008

REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS PRESS RELEASE

SERBIA - B92 TV CAMERAMAN ATTACKED AND BADLY INJURED WHILE COVERING PRO-KARADZIC DEMONSTRATIONS

Friday, 25 July 2008 - B92 TV cameraman Bosko Brankovic was seriously injured last night in Belgrade when he was attacked by demonstrators protesting against  former Bosnian Serb politician Radovan Karadzic's arrest for war crimes.

Brankovic was attacked while filming an assault by a group of demonstrators on FoNet News agency photographer Zoran Jovanovic, who was also trying  to photograph the demonstrations. The assailants broke one of Brankovic's legs, tore knee ligaments and smashed his camera.

Several police officers looked on without making any move to intervene.

"We urge the Serb authorities to carry out an investigation with the aim of punishing those who attacked Brankovic and other journalists covering the demonstrations," Reporters Without Borders said. "We also condemn the inexcusable lack of any reaction from the police officers who witnessed the attack on Brankovic."

Brankovic was already attacked the previous day in similar circumstances. Other protesters attacked a woman reporter employed by the Srna news agency, who was repeatedly hit on the head. A BN Television colleague to tried to protect her was also hit.