AJM and Helsinki Committee visited Bozhinovski in prison

Representatives of the Association of Journalists of Macedonia and Helsinki
Committee on May 5, 2017, in the detention unit of the Prison
Skopje visited the journalist Zoran Bozinovski. He is accused of
allegedly committed three offenses (criminal conspiracy, espionage and
blackmail).

By following the trial, although there were scheduled about ten court
hearings, most of them were delayed due to the fault of the Court
(redeployment of a judge, not securing the attendance of witnesses,
non-implementation of the journalist to court etc.).

Evidence are still not presented that indicate that the journalist Bozinovski is
a member of a criminal group and that he had intentions to create that kind of
group, nor that he came into contact with a foreign intelligence service
and that he betrayed state secrets.

It is incomprehensible journalist to be held two and a half years in custody of which 18
months in extradition detention in Serbia and 13 months in detention in
Macedonia.

We expect the immediate removal of detention and to journalist Bozhinovski to be allowed to defend himself from freedom.