A Serbian journalist Vienna, Viktor Lazic, has been under detention for 12 days in South Ossetia after allegedly wandering across its disputed border with Georgia.
Lazic, a travel writer for the Belgrade daily, Press, is said to be in solitary confinement.
"It is unacceptable to detain a journalist without reason," said Oliver Vujovic, secretary general of the Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), which is an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI).
Vujovic said: "I urge the authorities in Tskhinvali to give an explanation for his illegal detention and release the journalist immediately."
South Ossetia declared independence from Georgia in 1990.
Source: SEEMO/IPI
