The SafeJournalists network strongly condemns the physical attack on the journalist team of the Center for Investigative Journalism from Sarajevo, which took place in Brčko, and the several days of political threats and attacks by the President of the Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, on independent media in the Republika Srpska (RS). Orchestrated violence, including physical attacks, incitement and exposure of journalists and media houses to security risks are criminal acts in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and an alarming call to the police and the judiciary to investigate the incidents and punish the perpetrators!

 Journalist of the Center for Investigative Journalism (CIN) Renata Radić-Dragić and cameraman Dženat Dreković were physically attacked on Thursday afternoon, February 27, in front of a shopping center in Brčko, while they were shooting footage for an investigative story about politician and businessman Zoran Kokanović, a member of the RS National Assembly. Three people ran out of the shopping center and attacked the CIN´s team to stop the filming. Along with cursing and pushing, the attackers inflicted minor physical injuries on the cameraman Dreković, damaged the equipment, and caused stress to the journalist Radić-Dragić, for which she was referred for further treatment. Investigators from the Police and Prosecutor’s Office in Brčko responded efficiently, established the circumstances of this incident and announced the filing of criminal charge against one person.

On the evening of the same day, in the hall of the RS National Assembly in Banja Luka, the adviser of the RS President, Branislav Okuka, verbally attacked the journalists of BNTV, Al Jazeera and RTL, pulling their sleeves and getting in their faces, hindering them from performing their journalistic tasks. Although advisor Okuka apologized to the media through his profile on the X platform, this polite reaction did not reduce the consequences of his scandalous behavior, especially considering that he is a public office holder. In the days of violence against journalists, we also recall the brutal verbal threats by the RS President Milorad Dodik, which took place during a rally in Banja Luka (February 26, 2025.). President Dodik accused the editors and owners of the BUKA and Capital newsportal, as well as BN television, of receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars from USAID in order to “destroy Republika Srpska” and him personally, and predicted that “the people should judge them for this“.

Regarding the increased violence against journalists and the media, Tamara Filipović, coordinator of the Safejournalists network, stated: “The latest violence against journalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina was instigated by the actions of politicians and holders of the highest state officials. If this continues, we fear that it will escalate and that the spiral of violence will become unstoppable. We call on the authorities to take all necessary measures to bring the perpetrators to justice, and for politicians and state officials to return to the legal and moral framework of proper behavior.”

The Safejournalists Network remains dedicated to carefully monitoring the situation in Republika Srpska and the entire country, expressing strong support and solidarity with journalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina in their struggle to preserve media freedom and professional integrity.

Pristina – Skopje – Sarajevo – Zagreb – Belgrade – Podgorica, March 1, 2025.

Association of Journalists of Kosovo

Association of Macedonian Journalists

Association of BH journalists

Croatian Journalists’ Association

Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia

Media Union of Montenegro