Sarajevo, November 12, 2025 – The Steering Committee of the BH Journalists Association and the Free Media Help Line (FMHL) demand that the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Croatia and the Border Police of the Republic of Croatia urgently publicly explain why they banned the editor of Istraga.ba portal, Avdo Avdić, from entering Croatia.

At the border crossing Gradiska, on November 12 at 1:28 p.m., the Croatian Border Police issued Avdić a Decision to deny entry to the Republic of Croatia, with a written note that his name is in the national register of persons who are prohibited from entering the country. The Croatian Ministry of Internal Affairs issued him the aforementioned Decision without any additional explanations for such a decision.

The Steering Committee of the BH Journalists and the Free Media Help Line consider this action by the institutions of Croatia to be a direct violation of the right to freedom of movement and the right of journalists to report on topics of public importance, whether related to a single country or of a transnational nature.

Declaring journalist Avdo Avdić a “threat to public order and internal security” of the state of Croatia represents a dangerous precedent and a restriction of media freedom that is completely incompatible with the rule of law and democratic practices of the European Union, of which Croatia is a full member. Of particular concern is the fact that the decision to refuse entry to Croatia to Avdić was made without any concrete and reasoned explanation. Therefore, we demand that the Ministry of the Interior and the Border Police of Croatia immediately comment on this procedure and explain why they prevented journalist and editor Avdo Avdić from entering the country.

At the same time, BH Journalists demand from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina to urgently send a protest note to the Republic of Croatia due to this procedure and officially request information on why journalist Avdić was banned from entering Croatia, and to inform the public about the reasons for this decision as soon as possible.

After we receive an official explanation of the institutions of Croatia in this case,  BH Journalists Association and the FMHL will proceed further in accordance with all available legal possibilities in order to protect the rights of journalists to freedom of movement and reporting as fundamental principles of the journalistic profession, which must not be endangered by arbitrary actions of the authorities and police-intelligence structures of any country.

Steering Committee of the BH Journalists Association / Free Media Help Line