OSCE CONDEMNS ARREST OF "FERAL TRIBUNE" REPORTERS IN CAPLJINA

SARAJEVO, Oct 29 (Hina) - The Media Expert Committee (MEC), acting as a part of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mission to Bosnia-Herzegovina (BH), harshly condemned the act of the Capljina's (south BH) police, who unjustifiably arrested two reporters of Split's weekly "Feral Tribune" at the beginning of October. Nicole Szulc, OSCE's spokeswoman announced in the press conference in Sarajevo that the chairwoman of MEC, Tanya Domi sent a special letter to the federal as well as Herzegovina-Neretva county's Interior Ministry. In the letter Domi expressed her concern for the Capljina police's behaviour. The MEC members earlier determined that the local police arrested Damir Pilic, a reporter of Split's weekly, and a photojournalist Rino Belan on October 6. About 25 police officers were questioning the two reports why they failed to register with the police authorities while entering the Capljina area. The MEC stressed that the local police broke the European Convention on Human Rights. The MEC members recommended to the UN mission to take extra measures, with the help of International Police Task Force (IPTF), so the local police is precisely informed to the internationally recognised rights of journalists. The MEC's mandate in BH ends on October 31, said Szulc, and its authorities will entirely be handed to the independent media committee, established by Westendorp's representatives. (hina) it jn/ab