Free Expression Groups World-wide Protest Over NATO Attack on Belgrade Media 21 April 1999

Free expression groups worldwide protest NATO attack on Belgrade media

SOURCE: International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Brussels

**Updates IFEX alerts of 21 April, 13 April, 12 April and 9 April 1999**

NATO`s attack on the headquarters of the Serbian Socialist Party in central Belgrade which also targeted media outlets in the same building has led to protests from a range of free expression groups from around the world.

The annual meeting of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) in Cape Town gave support to a protest by the International Federation of Journalists in a letter to NATO Secretary General Javier Solana at NATO`s change of policy from military to civilian targets, including media.

Among those supporting the letter and protest are:

• The International Press Institute
• The International Federation of Journalists
• Canadian Journalists for Free Expression
• Media Institute of Southern Africa, Namibia
• Article 19, UK
• Index on Censorship, UK
• International Pen, Writers in Prison Committee
• The West African Journalists Association
• Freedom House, USA
• Association of Independent Media (FRY)
• Argentinian Association for the Defence of Independent Journalism
• Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights
• Internews
• World Association of Community Radio (AMARC)
• Hong Kong Journalists Association
• Glasnost Defence Foundation, Moscow
• Norwegian Forum for Freedom of Expression
• Institute for Free Flow of Information, Indonesia
• Free Expression, Ghana
• Union of Free Radio and Television, Mali
• Media for Peace, Congo
• Union of Independent Journalists, Togo
• Network for the Defence of Independent Media in Africa ZimRights, Zimbabwe
• Committee to Protect Journalists

For further information, contact Cailin Mackenzie at the IFJ, Rue Royale, 266, B-1210 Brussels, Belgium , tel: +322 223 2265 or 32 2 654 1016, fax: +322 219 2976, e-mail: ifj.safety@pophost.eunet.be, Internet: http://www.ifj.org/

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