Appelt Report

Total of 65 employees of media profession, 37 journalists, 9 photo reporters, 3 cameramen, 6 press media, 2 TV networks, 1 radio station, 1 web portal, 4 journalists post mortem, 1 employee of the media press, postmortem as well as 1 official car driver from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Monte Negro and Macedonia have received Goose pen reword for 2009.

“The reword no one desires to receive,” as TV news presenter Zoran Sprajc commented while reading longish list of names who have contributed to the freedom of the speech, thought and media. Reword will be distributed to the winners in various ways.

Bosnian hip hop star Frenkie

Hip hoper Adnan Hamidovic – Frenkie will hand in Goose pen to Bakir Hadziomerovic, main editor of TV magazine “60 minutes” who lives under police protection for more than two years; recently he was put under maximum police protection as Police has serious doubts that his life is endangered. Goose pen, beside main editor, goes to journalists Avdo Avdic i Slobodan Vaskovic, camerman Refik Vejsilagic and to the official driver of the redaction Sacir Vladavic. “60 minutes” redaction suffered largest number of the attacks; yet, Police did not resolve any of it. Journalists from Bosnia and Herzegovina received reword from the presenter Aleksandar Stankovic, host of the Nedjeljom u 2.

Most Goose pens went to the hand of employers of Croatian Media houses; 15 journalists, 3 photographers, 1 cameraman, 2 weekly magazines, 1 radio station and 1 web portal. One journalist and one employee of the Media house have been honored with the prize post mortem. Event were attended by Nedeljko Dabic, buyer of T- shirt “I don’t need sex, Government fucks me every day”,  for which RTL cameraman Ivan Cvirn got fired as well as owner and editor of Ljubljanske novice Janez Temlin.

Slovenia got only two Goose pens, evening hosts Mara Boric i Ivan Planinic couldn’t answer was it for the small number of population in Slovenia or for the reason Slovenia joined EU. “We do hope rest of the people will have the same treatment when the time comes to become an EU member” they concluded.

To the Republic of Serbia, where, according to the Journalist association and OEBS Mission data, during 2008 total of 138 attacks occurred, went 20 Goose pens – all presented by Sanja Modric, editor of Novi list who started Initiative against censorship in Media, along with Natasa Skaricic and Sanja Sarnavka, Human Rights activist. Initiative was signed by 42 respectful journalists, 50 Non Government Associations for Human Rights and several distinguished Croatian scientists. Same Initiative referred a open letter to the former premier Ivo Sanader, holding him and the Government responsible for the severest crises in Croatian Journalism since the nineties.

Unknown persons activated two hand bombs on Dejan Anastasijevic

Dejan Anastasijevic, war reporter who survived two hand bomb attacks which were put under his window, for the Wake up! Project commented situation in Media now days: “It is obvious that hunt season on journalist lasts for years. For the last 20 years no one got punished for attacking journalists, most murder cases did not even come to the investigation phase for the murder trial but in the phase of misdemeanor against unknown suspects-although it is well known who stands behind crimes, like in the case of Slavko Curuvije and Milan Pantic. Not only journalists received life threats but their existence is endangered as well. But no Government gives second thought to save them”

Montenegro weekly Monitor and daily papers Vijesti i Dan, in the case court rules in favor of opposite side, will have to pay almost 13 million Euros for the aspersions and emotional pain caused to the high state officials, although approximate monthly pay is around 300 Euro. Premier himself, Milo Đukanović, asked for million Euros from daily papers Vijesti, Veseljko Koprivica, editor of Monitor commented for the Wake up!

“The goal of such draconic punishment is clear – to destroy economically and to shut down independent media, to frighten journalists not to even consider publishing anything against will of powerful politicians.” Montenegro received seven Goose pens; one photo reporter, two journalists, three press media and one journalist post mortem.

Goose pen received four Macedonian journalists, situation in Macedonia commented Branko Gerovski, editor of papers „Sada“:

„Unfortunately, Macedonia lately becomes non tolerant and non democratic society; such threats shouldn’t scare only people on the list but rather all of public, namely political elite”.

In this year Wake up! all musicians participated pro bono,. They are: Elvis Jackson from Slovenia, Dubioza kolektiv and Frenki from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Majke, Mandrili, Vatra, Marko Lasić Nered, Martina Vrbos, TAK and Diskurz from Croatia.

Edo Majka, who couldn’t participate due to his trip to u Tel Aviv, supported project Wake up! and suggested cooperation which were welcomed by all other musicians. He has suggested handing out papers Attacks on journalists on his concerts.

“Hrvoje, create papers which will be distributed during our concerts, we have to familiar people with conditions we live in.”

“The only thing I have to say, from this stage, after everything I was put through for the past seven months is: “For the eleven years I have worked as an investigative journalists and the only thing I am interested in is the truth. In my Country I am not allowed to do so. We all have to fight for our right to express ourselves. Thanks to all of you who came tonight and to the rest of them – This is not the end, it is only the beginning!“

Among people who came and expressed their support (about 1500 ) were parents of late Luke Ritza, Zorislav Petrović, president of Transparency International, many journalists , but not enough of them, Stjepan Malovic, youngsters and seniors, people who are, more less familiar with media issues.

Hrvoje Appelt

PRZES MONTENEGRO: 1 photo reporter, , 2 journalists, 1 journalist post mortem , 3 press media

PRIZES Bosnia and Herzegovina: 3 journalist, 2 photographers, 1camerman, 1 driver, 1TV network

PRIZES CROATIA: 15 journalists, 1 journalist and 1 employee of the media house post mortem, 3 photographers, 1 cameraman, 2 weekly papers 1 radio, 1 web portal

PRIZES MACEDONIA: 4 journalists

PRIZES SLOVENIA: 1 journalist who entered the politics, 1 daily papers redaction

PRIZES SERBIA: 12 journalists, 3 photographers 1 cameraman, 1 TV Network, 3 journalists post mortem

*data for the purpose of Goose pen award were collected by journalists: Žarka Radoja, Maja Živković, Snežana Lupevska, Veseljko Koprivica, Petar Komnenić, Marinko Brkić-Tot, all of people who can help to distribute Goose pen to the awarded ones, please contact us on napadi.na.novinare@gmail.com. We invite colleagues from Kosovo to help us in collecting data.

Who helped project Wake up!?

Mum Dada, dad Zvonko and sister Iva provided for concert hall in Dom sportova, Tina Bukarica (project manager), Iva Božić (PR), Tamara Terzija (host manager), Marko Perica, musicians Marko Lasić Nered, Martina Vrbos, Frenki, Elvis Jackson, Dubioza kolektiv, TAK, Mandrili, Vatra, Majka i Diskurz nastupili pro bono, Mara Borić and Ivan Planinić hosted the event Probudi se!, journalists Sanja Modrić, Aleksandar Stanković i Zoran Šprajc were handing out the prizes, artist Dražen Grubišić created and made the Goose pen prize. Niking company (Joško i Lovro) created and assembled the stage, provided light and sound, Danči (stage manager), Croatian Railways helped financially and assembled the Panel Wake up! on the main building of the Zagreb Main Rail Terminal. MOI were in charge for peace and order, free of charge, Aviokarte.hr organized accommodation for the guests from BH, Emergancy units Sanitetski prijevoz Pacijent Ltd assisted free of charge also, company Extendis made web design, Plus HOSTING provided web space for www.appeltreport.com, Danijel Kašaj i Miron Sršen created and provided space for www.napadi-na-novinare.com, company Fingere created graphic solution for the exposition Napadi na novinare, 24 sata provided photography for the exposition, free of charge, graffiti designer Slaven Lunar created transparent Wake up!, Regional info-center for young people and Step ahead Associations of the Young organized and opened first exposition Attacks on journalists , Agency Yes presented exposition on Weekend media festival, Tvornica kulture helped creating marketing material, Macro Micro sent faxes, VOXBONA donated accreditations , sitotisak Karboni pressed Jumbo Panel which could be seen on Main Rail Terminal in Zagreb. Companies B1 i Slonček shop helped, Radio 101 made free jingles, HTV and Nova TV promoted the Project as well as portals Net.hr, muzika.hr, MTV adria, e-novine, radio Antena, Cibona. Croatian Journalists Association set up the transparent, provided space for the press conference. Academy of Arts, Ksenija Andri, Irena Franjić, caterers from hall II Dom sportova, Ivan Cvirn, Alen Stanković, Mario Periša i Antonijo Pozojić provided photo and video shooting of the project.

Thank you to the journalist, photographers, cameramen who came to support the project, LelaKnežević, Maja Sever, Petra Nižetić, Robert Zuber, Dragutin Kosić, Tomislav Pavičić, to all technicians, protection company Sokol Marić, officiars (Dalibor Mandarić, Ermin Imamović, Ivica Pintarić, Petar Delonga, Mario Klarić, Adnan Birković), Marinko Brkić-Tot, sisters Hana, Zora, Rafaela and Taiba Grgić, Antonija, Nina and Animal friends Association who distributed flyers and contributed to the organization of the project.

Thanks to all, as well as ones who helped but asked me not to mention their names publicly, for their carriers would be endangered. We do hope, in the future there will be few of such people.