Dr. Radovan Karadzic
President, Republica Srpska
Pale
Bosnia-Herzegovina

Vienna, 18 October 1995

Dear Dr. Karadzic

The International Press Institute (IPI), a global network of editors and media executives from newspapers, magazines, broadcasting organisations and news agencies in 85 countries, strongly condemns the detention of two Turkish journalists by Bosnian Serb forces.

IPI is informed that Munire Acim, a correspondent for the Turkish daily Hurriyet, and Anatolian news agency correspondent Ali Kocak were seized at a Serb checkpoint in a suburb of Sarajevo on 7 October 1995. We understand that the two journalists are being held in Kula prison and are reportedly in “good health.” We also understand that Bosnian Serb representatives have indicated that the two journalists will be released in exchange for two Bosnian Serb reporters who were arrested last month by Bosnian government forces.

IPI views the seizure and continued detention of the two Turkish correspondents, apparently for bargaining purposes, as a flagrant violation of the journalist’s right to “seek, receive and impart information through any media and regardless of frontiers,” as guaranteed by the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

We therefore strongly urge you to ensure that Munire Acim and Ali Kocak are released immediately and unconditionally. We further urge that all possible steps are taken to ensure that both local and foreign journalists are allowed to report freely and without fear of harassment on events in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

We thank you for your attention.

Yours sincerely,

Johann P. Fritz
Director