Criminal prosecution of journalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina endangers right to free expression, says OSCE media freedom representative

VIENNA, 13 September 2013 – Today’s news that a court has confirmed a criminal indictment by a group of journalists against other journalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina is deeply alarming and embarrassing, OSCE media freedom representative Dunja Mijatović said today.

“Without commenting on the content of the programme in question, the fact that the criminal prosecutions of journalists was initiated by the  Association of Journalists of Republika Srpska pressing criminal charges against six journalists of BiH Federation Television (FTV) deeply undermines the already fragile professional solidarity among journalists in BiH,” said Mijatović.

“The fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina was the first country in the region to decriminalise defamation back in 1999 was a hallmark in its media reform. What I see today goes against these standards and the country’s OSCE commitments to develop and protect media freedom and freedom of expression.  Such issues should be resolved in an open dialogue, conducive to reconciliation,” Mijatović said.