Doboj/Sarajevo, August 4, 2026 – The Steering Committee of the BH Journalists Association and the Free Media Help Line (FMHL) strongly condemn the brutal attack on BN Television journalist Vesna Vukmirović and cameraman Srđan Đurić, which took place today in the village of Glogovica near Doboj while they were reporting on the issue of unsafe drinking water from the local water supply system.

After the Public Health Institute of Republika Srpska determined that the water in Glogovica was unsafe for use, the BN TV crew visited the village to obtain statements from individuals responsible for managing the local water supply. Instead of answering the questions posed by the journalists, one of the local residents subjected journalist Vukmirović to insults, threats, and physical assault, while cameraman Đurić was verbally attacked. The journalist sustained bodily injuries and required medical assistance.

The Steering Committee of BH Journalists assesses that today’s attack on the BN TV crew represents aggressive and unacceptable intimidation of journalists and an attempt to prevent the media from reporting professionally on issues of public interest—specifically, in this case, public health concerns affecting the residents of Glogovica. At the same time, this is not only an attack on a single news crew and BN TV as a media outlet, but also a direct attack on the public’s right to free, timely, and truthful information.

BH Journalists and the FMHL call on the Ministry of Interior of Republika Srpska and the District Public Prosecutor’s Office in Doboj to conduct an urgent, impartial, and effective investigation into all circumstances of this case, to establish the individual responsibility of the perpetrators, and to prosecute them in accordance with the law. We welcome the fact that the police responded promptly to the report and informed the competent prosecutor, but we also expect this criminal offense to result in a swift and effective judicial outcome.

Expressing full solidarity and support to colleagues Vesna Vukmirović and Srđan Đurić, members of the Steering Committee of BH Journalists emphasize that the safety of journalists and all other media workers is one of the key preconditions for media freedom and an integral part of the obligations of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the EU integration process.

BH Journalists and the Free Media Help Line will record this case in their comprehensive database of attacks and violations of journalists’ rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and will inform the regional SafeJournalists network, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the Council of Europe, the OSCE, and other international organizations monitoring media freedom and the safety of journalists.

Steering Committee of BH Journalists