25 May 1999

Federal Republic of Yugoslavia: a state under censorship
SOURCE: Reporters sans frontières (RSF), Paris
(RSF/IFEX) - The following is an RSF press release:

Federal Republic of Yugoslavia: a state under censorship

After eight weeks of NATO bombings against Yugoslavia, Slobodan Milosevic's regime has crippled the Albanian press while simultaneously muzzling Serbia's independent media. As for Montenegro's media, they find themselves at the heart of the battle between Podgorica and Belgrade.

Since 24 March 1999, five Yugoslav independent media have been closed, including Belgrade's celebrated anti-establishment radio station, B92. All Serbian media are victims of censorship. An opposition journalist, Slavko Curuvija, was assassinated on 11 April 1999, after having been accused of "treason" by official media. One of his colleagues, Nebojsa Ristic, detained since 23 April, risks a year in prison for having displayed a sign calling for press freedom in Serbia. At least eighty foreign journalists have been detained for questioning and expelled by police forces and the Serbian military. Reporters sans frontières has collected a number of eyewitness accounts concerning the poor treatment of and violence against journalists. Antun Masle, a Croatian journalist accused of "espionage", is still being detained by military authorities in Montenegro.

In a report made public on 25 May, Reporters sans frontières reviews attacks on press freedom in the country and recalls that, since the first threats of NATO air strikes in October 1998, Milosevic's regime has given itself the legal means to crush the independent press. The organisation offers a series of recommendations to Yugoslavian authorities and the international community.

For further information, contact Alexandre Lévy or Ludovic Brun at RSF, 5, rue Geoffroy Marie, Paris 75009, France, tel: +33 1 44 83 84 84, fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51, e-mail: europe@rsf.org, Internet: http://www.rsf.org (fixed 3.4.2003)

The information contained in this press release is the sole responsibility of RSF. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit RSF.

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