IHF Press Release: Largest Albanian-language newspaper fined

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Subject: IHF Press Release: Largest Albanian-language newspaper fined

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IHF Press Release: Largest Albanian-language newspaper fined


Serbian Regime's Fines May Force Closure of Largest Albanian-Language
Newspaper
 
Prishtine and Vienna, 17 March 1999.  The Helsinki Committees in
Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia and the International Helsinki
Federation for Human Rights (IHF) representing 39 member and
cooperating organizations in the OSCE territory are deeply concerned
by a decision of the District Court in Prishtine to levy excessive
fines against the independent newspapers Kosova Sot, Rilindja, and
Gazete Shqiptare, which provide news in Albanian distributed in
Kosovo, Macedonia and Western Europe.
 
The IHF considers these decisions against the independent media in
Kosovo not only a violation of international standards that protect
free expression and freedom of the media, but also an attack on
international efforts to bring peace and democracy to Kosovo and the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
 
The Kosova Sot and Gazete Shqiptare are charged with "spreading ethnic
intolerance and hatred," a violation of Article 67 of Serbia's
Information Law, through their "editorial policy." The Serbian
Parliament imposed a ban on Rilindja in August 1998 for the same
charges. Rilindja has resumed publication, despite the ban.
 
Kosova Sot and Gazete Shqiptare, along with their publishers, editors
and parent companies, of have been fined a total of 1,600,000 dinars
(USD 147,770) each, threatening the newspapers with closure. The
authorities have announced plans to confiscate printing machines
today. The publisher of Kosova Sot (Interpress) is the largest
printing house in Kosovo, which also prints 80% of Albanian language
school books.
 
Considering the recent prison sentence given to the owner of Dnevni
Telegraph, in addition to the ongoing repression of Danas, Blic, and
Glas Javnosti, the IHF is deeply concerned by the organized campaign
against independent media being pursued by Yugoslav authorities.
 
__________________
For more information:
 
Aaron Rhodes, Executive Director, IHF, Tel: +43-1-402 73 87
 
Gazmend Pula, Kosovo Helsinki Committee, Tel: +381-38-34786
 
Slobodan Franovic, Montenegrin Helsinki Committee for Human Rights,
Tel: +381-86-53191
 
Sonja Biserko, Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia, Tel:
+381-11-693 481

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