03. 06. 2012

ATTACK ON BETA JOURNALIST CONDEMNED

Banjaluka, June 3, 2012 (Oslobodjenje) - BiH Journalists and the Free Media Help Line will notify the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and other domestic and international organizations that deal with protection of freedom of the press and the rights of journalists, a statement read.

The Association of BiH Journalists and the Free Media Help Line released a statement that condemned most sharply the verbal attack by Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik on BETA journalist Ljiljana Kovacevic.

"At a press conference on 2 June 2012 at the Palace of Republika Srpska, Dodik tried to prevent journalist Ljiljana Kovacevic from carrying out her journalistic duties, not allowing her to pose a question to his guest, Socialist Party of Serbia President Ivica Dacic."
 
"The Republika Srpska President publicly called our colleague a 'liar' and addressed her with the words 'What are you doing here?', 'Smear off,' and 'I am the host here,' which in a crude and primitive way violated her human dignity, professional and citizen's rights. At the same time, with arrogant behavior and insults to the journalist Ljiljana Kovacevic, Milorad Dodik degraded the institution of RS President and damaged the reputation of a public institution in the name of which he addressed journalists and the public."
 
"We remind the public and Mr. Dodik that no public official, which as President of Republika Srpska he is, has the right to interfere and prevent journalists in carrying out their journalistic duties, nor the right to insult their profession and civic rights. To the contrary, representatives of the government, under the European Convention on Human Rights (Article 10) and Resolution 1535 of the Council of Europe, are obligated to journalists to provide conditions for smooth operation, with the aim of protecting freedom of expression and the right of citizens to be informed."
 
"We invite journalists from all of Bosnia and Herzegovina not to sit obediently and silently at press conferences where public officials insult them or their colleagues, and to express their civil resistance to harsh violations of the right to dignified and free work of media employees. BiH Journalists and the Free Media Help Line have notified the International Federation of Journalists and other domestic and international organizations that deal with protection of media freedom and the rights of journalists about this incident, which was an attack on the entire journalistic community in Bosnia and Herzegovina," the statement reads.