25. 07. 2003

New ban on Witness's Legija interview

BELGRADE, July 25, 2003 – Judge Biljana Sinanovic, presiding over the trial chamber of the Belgrade District Court, yesterday ruled to continue the distribution ban imposed on issue 358 of weekly Svedok [Witness]. The reason for the ban is the edition's publishing of an interview with fugitive Zemun Gang leader Milorad "Legija" Lukovic, which has been deemed illegal. Lukovic, prime suspect in the assassination of Serbian PM Zoran Djindjic, originally gave the interview to a Macedonian weekly also named Svedok. Belgrade’s Svedok published the interview on 3 June and the district court ruled on 6 June that the issue should be seized and destroyed, a ruling which was overturned by the Supreme Court of Serbia. Explaining the court’s ruling yesterday, judge Sinanovic said that the disputed interview directly calls for the toppling of constitutional order.