The verdict of the Court of Appeal for two years in prison for journalist Tomislav Kezharovski, which was enforced yesterday evening, when Kezharovski was expressly transferred from house arrest to prison “Skopje”, also interested the media in Europe, while London’s “Guardian” reported a full article on the case.
Respected British newspaper writes about the reactions of the organizations for media freedom of journalist’s associations, which strongly condemn the decision of the court.
“Absurd verdict, unbecoming of a candidate for EU membership,” the newspaper reports the statement of the spokesman of the organization “Reporters Without Borders”, Christian Mihr, which also reads that “Kezharovski is only guilty for pointing out the shortcomings of the Macedonian Government and the judiciary”.
In identical damning and critical tone is the statement of Jim Boumelha, president of the International Federation of Journalists, who says: “Kezharovski is an innocent journalist, who should not be imprisoned just because he was performing his duty. The court’s decision is shameful and we demand his immediate release”.
Apart from the reactions of journalists’ associations and organizations, including the statements of the president of the Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM) Naser Selmani and Tamara Chausidis of the Journalists’ union, in the part of the text, “Guardian” mentions that Macedonian journalists suspect that other reasons and circumstances stand behind Kezharovski’s arrest.
Today, High Representative of the OSCE for freedom of media Dunja Mijatovik condemned the imprisonment of the journalist and appealed to the country’s authorities to release Kezharovski immediately and to respect free and critical opinion.
