Front Line is concerned following reports of attacks against the website and the jamming of the radio programme broadcast by Pescanik on Radio B92, as well as the destruction of journalist Ms Svetlana Lukic's car on 23 January 2009.

Further Information

Pescanik is a non-governmental organisation run by journalists Svetlana Lukic and Ms Svetlana Vukovic. Pescanik aims to promote human rights debate through a radio programme, a website, nationwide live panels, and publications in both English and Serbian. Svetlana Lukic and Svetlana Vukovic have received several awards for their work from foundations such as the Dusan Bogavac Fund for ethics and courage (1995), the Konstantin Obradovic Award of the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights (2006), and the Reporters Without Borders award.

On 22 January 2009, Pescanik's website, which presents some of the material broadcast during Pescanik's programme on radio B92, was hacked in what seemed to be a synchronised attack originating from several locations.

The website has been blocked for over a week. On 23 January, transmission of Pescanik's radio programme was blocked, with the radio signal jammed in Belgrade and throughout Serbia. On 24 January 2009, the transmission of the repeat of the radio programme was also blocked.

In tandem with these events, on 23 January, Svetlana Lukic's car was vandalised as a maroon Yugo car repeatedly drove into it so hard that its wheels were forced over a curb. Eyewitnesses were present but noone took note of the car's registration and police have been unable to find it. Following these incidents, Pescanik has filed criminal charges with the Cyber Crime Department of the District Prosecutor's Office and a lawsuit has been filed with the Fourth Municipal Prosecutor's Office for the destruction of Svetlana Lukic's car. B92, the radio station which broadcasts Pescanik's programme, filed a complaint with the Republic Telecommunications Agency (RATEL) in relation to the jamming of its signal during the broadcast of Pescanik on 23 and 24 January 2009.

Front Line believes the destruction of Svetlana Lukic's car and the blocking of Pescanik's transmission, both on-line and via radio, may be related to the organisation's legitimate and peaceful work in the defence of human rights. In light of the violent nature of the attack against Svetlana Lukic's car, Front Line is concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of both Svetlana Lukic and Svetlana Vukovic.