25. 02. 2008

B92 PRESSED CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST ANONYMOUS PERPETRATORS

BELGRADE, February 25, 2008 - B92 has submitted criminal charges to the Fourth Municipal Public Prosecutor's Office today, thus directly informing police authorities about numerous threats of physical liquidation that B92 journalists and editors had received, primarily through electronic mail, for the last couple of days. 

We consider those threats as an attempt to exert pressure on our media company to change our editorial policy, as well as to force us to suppress facts and filter the news, thus allowing restriction of free flow of information, ideas and opinions. We are determined and resolute to resist such pressures, as we have successfully done in the past. 

B92 points out that the defense of the constitutional order, governance of law and democratic heritage calls for defense of freedom of expression and press freedom. Valid Constitution and legal regulations in this country guarantee freedom of the press and prohibit censorship. Valid legal acts in this country prohibit physical and any other threats directed towards journalists and media in general.  

We are aware of the fact that difficult situation our society had faced with contributed to the dregs of society coming to surface. The messages we've received bear witness to this as its contents lack refinement and are abundant in vulgarities. The way the messages are sent (from a fictitious email addresses, usually via West European and American anonymous electronic mail providers), reflects hypocrisy and cowardice of its senders. 

The outcome of the charges pressed so far against threats and assaults is not encouraging. Throughout all these years, only a single case ended with court conviction that came into effect as the suspended prison sentence. Other cases either expired, or criminal acts are being qualified more mildly then we think it is appropriate, the perpetrators are not being revealed, or in case they are, the procedure of indicting them is being unnecessarily prolonged.  

B92 insists that this bad practice change, meaning that pressures, threats and assaults on media and journalists should face criminal proceedings and appropriate sanctions in a way that will acknowledge full awareness of the state about the significance of media freedom in a democratic society. That will, in turn, result not only in protecting B92 and its journalists, but also in protecting the right of the public to be duly informed about the issues it is entitled to know about.    

Veran Matic