Slovakia: CFWIJ Demands An Immediate Investigation Into The Surveillance Of Journalist Monika Tódová
Location: Slovakia
Date: January 16, 2021
Journalist Monika Tódová in Denník N newspaper was monitored and photographed by two unidentified individuals for at least two days in early January. Surveillance with his family of journalists in a country house in the High Tatra Mountains in northern Slovakia is thought to be linked to the 2018 murder of investigative journalist Ján Kuciak. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) is deeply concerned about Monika’s and her family’s safety. We demand authorities to conduct an immediate investigation into the surveillance of the journalist.
Monika was monitored and photographed by a man in a jeep for at least two days in a country house where she and her family stayed in the High Tatra Mountains in northern Slovakia in early January. The was parked outside the property for eight hours. At the same time, the journalist was followed by another unidentified man standing outside the hut in a car with Bratislava license plates. The same car was seen after Monika was coming back to Bratislava. The journalist reported the suspicious to the police. One of the men was given a disciplinary penalty for violating the curfew. The Police Force District Office (PZ) has confirmed that the High Tatras PZ department has initiated a penalty procedure for "dangerous surveillance" and analyzed the information. The journalist's surveillance is estimated to be linked to the 2018 murder of investigative journalist Ján Kuciak.
According to IPI, between March 2017 and February 2018, former intelligence agent Peter Tóth allegedly conducted large and illegal surveillance against journalists in Slovakia. Thereafter Peter Tóth was charged with ordering the killing of journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée, Martina Kušnírová. However, in September 2020, he was acquitted because of insufficient evidence to conclude with certainty that he ordered the hit.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism has great concern about the safety of the journalists in Slovakia. Such severe incidents must be followed and monitored immediately. We keep a close eye on this appalling surveillance of Monika. We call upon authorities to conduct an investigation into this case and find the responsible.
The CFWIJ strongly condemns the police brutality against journalists. We demand the immediate return of the press cards seized from the security forces. Policies to intimidate journalists should be abandoned, and journalism should be practiced under the criteria of freedom of the press.
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