18. 12. 2012

JOURNALIST ATTACKED BY GENDARME

Belgrade, December 18, 2012 (Alo!) - Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) issued a statement yesterday, requesting urgent investigation of all factors leading to an incident that had occurred the day before between the journalist Aleksandra Radec and a leutenant-colonel of the Gendarmerie of Serbia Branislav Raketic.

Raketic attacked the journalist in a vehicle on a way back from the birthday party of a mutual friend's child.

According to Radec, as said in UNS statement, member of the Serbian Gendarmerie had thrown her out of the car after slapping her several times accros the face, and caused her injuries that were treated later at the Emergency Center. The journalist had suffered brain concussion and several injuries to the body.

Raketic denied the attack, telling UNS that he had only pushed her back because she had picked off his eyeglasses and grabbed the steering wheel.

The Ministry of Interior (MUP) told daily Alo! That the incident would be investigated, but that it was most likely "a private matter and that the journalist was obviously not on assignment".