OSCE concerned about the war against independent media in Yugoslavia

VIENNA, 15 October 1998 - Freimut Duve, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, is increasingly worried by the renewed declaration of war against the independent media proclaimed by Milosevic's government. The authorities are not only ignoring international condemnations of their actions against independent media but are actually intensifying their repressive measures.

The government is justifying its actions by referring to the recently adopted "Decree on Special Measures in Circumstances of Nato's Threats with Military Attacks Against Our Country". The Decree allows the authorities to close media that acts "against the state". However, it does not define what actually "against the state" means giving the authorities an open hand to do as they please.

On 13 October the Yugoslav Government closed down the newspaper Danas. The next day another newspaper, Dnevni Telegraf, was also closed. In the previous days, two radio stations, Radio Senta and Radio Index, were banned.

The current clamp down on independent media must stop. All banned publications and radio stations must be allowed to resume their work. Journalists, local and foreign, must have the capability to freely and openly report from the conflict-ridden region of Kosovo. The Yugoslav Government must put an end to violations of standards set by the same international organisations, such as the OSCE and the Council of Europe, that the government wants to join as a full member. The approach by the Yugoslav authorities to independent media is offensive to these organisations.

The international community is in the process of establishing a verification mission in Kosovo. The situation of the independent media should not escape the attention of this mission.