Sarajevo/ Mostar, 28.04.2025. – The Steering Committee of BH Journalists Association and Free Media Help Line (FMHL)  call on the Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (MUP HNK) to urgently investigate the attack on the journalistic and camera crew of RTV Herceg-Bosna, which occurred in the old part of Mostar on 22 April this year.

According to information from the editorial staff of RTV Herceg-Bosna, the owner of one of the shops in the Old Town verbally attacked the crew of this media outlet, using swear words and expressions of national intolerance, and attempted to forcefully ban filming, threatening to destroy the equipment. The Board of Directors of BH Journalists strongly condemns this attack and the ban on filming the crew of RTV Herceg-Bosna, emphasizing that it is particularly worrying that attacks on this media outlet are repeated and used to spread hatred, as well as for political and ideological confrontations with its employees.

We also recall that verbal attacks and unsubstantiated labeling of RTV Herceg-Bosna can be heard both in the parliamentary benches and through the public speech of representatives of the Federal Parliament, who use public functions and political power as a means of pressure, and the parliamentary benches as a training ground for confrontation with the editorial policy of this media or its media content. In this context, we regret to note that former journalist and now representative in the Parliament of the Federation of BiH, Sanel Kajan, is one of those who uses his political power to violate the right to freedom of expression.

The Steering Committee of BH Journalists Association emphasizes that everyone – from citizens to parliamentarians and politicians – must respect media freedoms and the right of journalists to work safely, and the use of force or abuse of political position and authority to deal with the media is especially unacceptable. Dissatisfaction with the work of any journalist and media, including RTV Herceg-Bosna, should be resolved through the law, using professional mechanisms of public reaction such as denials, complaints to the Communications Regulatory Agency (CRA) or filing a lawsuit with the competent judicial institutions.

BH Journalists express support and solidarity with the attacked team of RTV Herceg-Bosna, and expect a quick and thorough investigation by the Prosecutor’s Office of the Croatian National Television and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Croatian National Television, in order to create conditions for punishing the attackers and prevent possible new attacks on this media.

The Steering Committee of BH Journalists Association