Journalists from the Birač region stood up for freedom of speech today. They were joined by representatives of the civil sector. Symbolically, at five to 12, they expressed their displeasure against the Proposal to amend the Criminal Code of the Republika Srpska, which stifles freedom of speech. The criminalization of public speech concerns all citizens of the RS, not just journalists, the protest said.

And journalists are the ones who, for who knows how many times, the conscience of the public and who, standing up in their defense, knowing what awaits them, stood up in defense of all citizens who think differently.

We will support the protests in Banja Luka tomorrow and tell the public about the citizens that journalists are with the common man this time, said retired journalist Zorana Petković.

Exasperated representatives of the non-governmental sector told, among other things, the RS Government.

They lack that famous political commissar, they lack a Ministry that they had before the censorship war. My dear brother, I can make it fine, even though we don’t have a sea coast, I can make a bare island somewhere. It’s no problem. That someone could end up in prison because of a spoken word is unthinkable, said Siniša Purtić, an eco-activist from Vlasenice.

Dragisav Mijanović, President of the Zvornik City Organization of war disabled veterans, said that this law destroys and stifles free speech.

It has to be withdrawn. We will see how much they will listen, Mijanović said. This is the Law on the Protection of Criminals from Criticism, citizens said harshly.

What is happening is horrendous. It is already known that the judiciary and the prosecution are there to support thievery and crime. They want to make it official, it seems. I think that’s the last thing that can happen to us. That we are definitely becoming slaves, said citizen Dragan Filipović.

On Tuesday, nine MPs from the Birač region will vote in the RS National Assembly. From Zvornik, they asked the MPs to stand by the citizens of the RS and not support the proposed changes to the Criminal Code of the RS.

Source: BN