SEEMO Protests Prison Sentence for Macedonia Journalist

24 May 2006

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is outraged by a prison sentence handed to a journalist in Kumanovo, Republic of Macedonia � FYROM. SEEMO sent a strong public letter condemning the sentence to the highest offices of power in the Republic of Macedonia.

Zoran Bozinovski, co-owner and deputy editor-in-chief of the daily "Trojka" and a journalist for "Forum Plus" weekly, was recently given a 3-month prison sentence for criminal defamation and insult. The sentence was handed down by the Court in Kumanovo after charges were brought against Bozinovski for an article published in the local weekly "Bulevar" on 25 December 2003. At the time he was the newspaper's owner and editor-in-chief.

In accordance with the SEEMO Vienna Declaration of 6 May 2006, SEEMO regards prison terms for defamation as a gross violation of internationally accepted standards and believes that defamation should be treated under civil law, not as a criminal offence subject to punishment of the state. SEEMO also finds this sentence unacceptable because, on 10 May, the Parliament in Skopje adopted an amendment to the Criminal Code, which abolished imprisonment as a punishment for criminal defamation.

SEEMO has also been informed that Bozinovski has to report to the police today at 3 p.m. in order to start serving his sentence. However, the above-mentioned decision by the Parliament will be implemented on 23 May. At the moment, there are 82 pending charges against Bozinovski, mostly initiated by public officials. As a result of his investigative reporting, Bozinovski has been physically attacked and seriously injured in the past.

SEEMO reminds the Macedonian leadership that reporting on controversial figures and topics are not only in the public interest, but also provide a context to delicate and difficult subjects. SEEMO, therefore, asks Your Excellencies to do everything in your power to rescind this court decision and withdraw the charges and the sentence against Bozinovski. SEEMO would also like to remind Your Excellencies that an open media environment, allowing for the free flow of information, is a fundamental principle of any democratic society.