Beata Balogová speaks to one of the For a Decent Slovakia protests in 2018 on behalf of Slovakia's journalists. Balogová also serves as the vice-chair of the executive board of the International Press Institute. (source: Sme)
We condemn the charges that were brought against Denník N journalists Konštantín Čikovský and Monika Tódová for doing their job in connection with the clarification of the murder of our colleague Ján Kuciak.
We consider this charges another attempt to threaten journalists who have been revealing the missteps of those in power for many years. The current development resembles the situation from a few years ago when certain groups created an atmosphere of mistrust and hate towards journalists in our society. This eventually led to the murder of Ján Kuciak. We must not allow this to repeat.
Using penal law against journalists for their work is unacceptable in an EU member state. It is what dictatorships do to threaten journalists, such as in Belarus.
We stand behind our colleagues. We will not be threatened and we will continue doing our job. We call on the competent institutions to withdraw the charges. We also call on the government to fulfill its promises to pass legislation for the better protection of journalists.
Zuzana Petková, founder, Investigative Centre of Ján Kuciak
Beata Balogová, editor-in-chief, SME
Peter Bárdy, editor-in-chief, Aktuality.sk
Lukáš Diko, director, Investigative Centre of Ján Kuciak
Matúš Kostolný, editor-in-chief, Denník N
Štefan Hríb, editor-in-chief, .týždeň
Lucia Yar, acting editor-in-chief, Euractiv
Michaela Terenzani, editor-in-chief, The Slovak Spectator
Jaroslav Vrábeľ, editor-in-chief, Korzár
Cs. Liszka Györgyi, editor-in-chief, Vasárnap
Peter Palovič, head of news desk, Rádio Expres
Braňo Závodský, deputy head of news desk, Rádio Expres
Marcela Šimková, editor-in-chief, Hospodárske noviny
Júlia Kováčová, editor-in-chief, Nový čas
Alexej Fulmek, president, Slovak Print and Digital Media Association
Marian Zima, president, AONE
Csaba Nyerges, editor-in-chief, Új Szó
Attila Lovász, editor-in-chief of the Hungarian broadcast of RTVS
