OSCE media freedom representative deplores attack on journalist in northern Cyprus

VIENNA, 8 July 2011 – Dunja Mijatović, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, today strongly condemned the alleged attempt to murder Sener Levent, the editor-in-chief of Afrika newspaper in northern Cyprus.

“Attacks against journalists are an especially insidious form of violence,” she said. “In addition to endangering and sometimes even taking the lives of journalists, such acts are also an attack on core democratic values such as the right to free expression and people’s right to pluralistic news.” 

On 3 July, an armed man went to the newspaper’s offices, apparently in search of Levent, and shot at Ali Osman, an Afrika employee who opened the door. The attacker was taken into custody and stands accused of attempted murder.  The newspaper’s editor-in-chief had received a death threat earlier this year.

“It is of utmost importance that the perpetrators and planners of such attacks are swiftly brought to justice. The longer they enjoy impunity, the higher the danger that such crimes are repeated in the future,” Mijatović warned.