OSCE: Increased threats to media freedom, law reform and decriminalization of defamation are crucial

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mission) is very concerned about growing threats to media freedom in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), noting the worsening of this trend in recent years. 

Journalists in BiH regularly face violence and intimidation, and they are often subject to attacks, threats and lawsuits, which adversely impact their ability to report objectively and consistently and limit the right to freedom of media and expression.

Since the Mission began systematically monitoring the safety of journalists in BiH in 2019, we have recorded, on average, 30-40 incidents or attacks on journalists per year. In 2023, however, the Mission recorded over 50 incidents that included verbal and online threats, harassment and intimidation as well as cases of physical violence, confiscation and/or the damaging of equipment or property belonging to journalists, targeting and insults by public officials and politicians, and defamation lawsuits that may serve as a form of strategic action against public participation (SLAPP). In addition to the above, the Mission is increasingly concerned with cyber-attacks on independent media outlets’ websites and social media profiles.

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