Journalists and cameramen were exposed to verbal attacks and insults from a group of citizens in the town of Otok in Croatia when they reported on the arrest of the mayor and, until recently, HDZ MP Josip Šarić.

 According to media reports, the intervention police warned the attackers and told them to move away. The Police Department of the Vukovar-Srijem County officially announced the attack on the journalists in Otok, which stated in its press release that the conducted criminal investigation established that the 53-year-old had committed an offense under the Law on Offenses against Public Order and Peace and that he is being prosecuted indictment proposal to the competent court.

According to the police report, the 53-year-old disturbed public order and peace by yelling and insulting in a particularly bold and indecent manner, which is why the police officers removed him from the scene and started a criminal investigation. According to the police report, the attacker was under the influence of alcohol.

The Croatian Journalists’ Association (CJA) reacted to these attacks and demanded punishment for all those who participated.

CJA has been warning for years about the consequences of verbal attacks on journalists and media from the highest political instances by officials who often label them as enemies. The simultaneous absence of an unequivocal condemnation of the increasingly frequent threats and attacks is fuel for all those who think they can attack our colleagues with impunity, said Hrvoje Zovko, president of the Croatian Journalists’ Association.

The Safe Journalists network emphasizes that attacks on journalists and media workers are unacceptable and represent a severe attack on media freedom and the public’s right to information.

Journalists, videographers, and all media workers must have the right to safely perform their duties without fear of violence and intimidation.

We call on the relevant institutions, including the police and the Attorney General’s Office, to thoroughly investigate these incidents and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice. We also appeal to the public and political actors to condemn any form of violence against journalists and stand up for the freedom of the media.

The Safe Journalists network will inform relevant national and international actors about this case.

Association of Journalists of Kosovo

Association of Journalists of Macedonia

BH Journalists Association

Croatian Journalists’ Association

Independent Journalists Association of Serbia

Trade Union of Media of Montenegroitizens.

Pristina – Skopje – Sarajevo – Zagreb – Belgrade – Podgorica, 27 September 2024.

The source: IJAS

Photo by: Canva