IPI closely following newspaper publisher Curuvija murder trial

Slavko Ćuruvija
ANDREJ ISAKOVIC / AFP

The International Press Institute (IPI) said on Monday that it would closely follow the Appeals Court closing in the trial for the 1999 murder of newspaper publisher Slavko Curuvija.

“Today the Court of Appeal in Belgrade began the closing act of the trial for the 1999 murder of journalist and publisher Slavko Curuvija. The verdict will have huge implications for press freedom and rule of law in the country. IPI is closely following the hearings,” it said in a Twitter post.

IPI recalled on its Global Network of Independent Media Twitter profile that Curuvija was gunned down outside his apartment building in central Belgrade almost 24 years ago. “The fight for justice for his family and colleagues has been long and extremely difficult. The cycle of impunity for his assassination could now finally be broken,” the post said.

Slavko Curuvija was shot in central Belgrade during the 1999 NATO air campaign after accusations in pro-Milosevic regime media that he was a traitor.