There is concern that demonstrators in the Serbian town of Leskovac on 6 July 1999 were beaten and detained by riot police following their calls for the release of imprisoned technician Ivan Novkovic and an end to the repression of news media. Ivan Novkovic, who works for a television station, was sentenced to 30 days in prison on 5 July 1999 for arranging an anti-government protest without giving advance warning to the authorities.
