Alex Lupis, the CPJ's coordinator for Europe, told Hina the CPJ was concerned about these developments.
Jovic was arrested in Split on Thursday and he faces extradition to the Hague tribunal after the ICTY charged him with contempt of court for identifying a protected witness in the trial of Bosnian Croat general Tihimir Blaskic. Jovic did not respond to the summons to appear before the court to enter his plea.
"Court-imposed gag orders on news organizations are very troubling, and there are unanswered questions about the Tribunal's actions," CPJ Executive Director Ann Cooper said. "For example, it's puzzling why the Tribunal would take legal action against journalists for revealing information that the Tribunal itself has made publicly available. We are closely monitoring how the Tribunal handles these cases."
The ICTY revealed the identity of the protected witness in the said case on its web site in 1997.
Along with Jovic, three other Croatian reporters and a former intelligence official have been charged with contempt for disclosing the identity and testimony of the protected witness.
The CPJ is a prominent independent organisation promoting press freedom worldwide and the right of journalists to report without fear of retaliation.