September 15, 2022

To protect democracy, we must protect independent journalism

topic:	Freedom of Expression
located:	Bosnia and Herzegovina
editor:	Katarina Panić

Amid a global decline in press freedom, which, according to UNESCO, 85 percent of the world’s population has experienced over the past five years, Bosnia and Herzegovina provides several examples of journalists endangered by other journalists and members of the media. These attacks on the defenders of the freedom of speech typically happen at the request of the media controlled by the authorities in the country.

For example, the case of independent journalist Vladimir Kovačević, who was attacked by two masked men and heavily beaten four years ago, has not been solved yet. Namely, two attackers were found and sentenced to five and four years in prison for attempted murder. Since they came from a criminal background and previously had police records, and since they had no motive it is widely believed the attack was commissioned. However, the orchestrator of the attack has not yet been revealed . 

Vladimir was hospitalised for five days, and on the same day he went home, two TV stations with national coverage (the public service RTRS and the private-owned ATV) broadcasted an article, produced by the newspaper Informer, claiming that the journalist had “received $80,000 from USAID for an internet portal.”

Kovačević sued RTRS and ATV for defamation, and the Basic Court of Banjaluka ruled in his favour in only one of the cases, although the same article was the subject of both trials. One TV was required to pay him €2,500 as compensation for harming his honour and reputation, while another was freed from responsibility.

In the courtroom, Vladimir said, "the least he needed was a false accusation during that period, and that it created fear to him and his family, and resulted in threats and insults on social networks." 

While RTRS and its then editor-in-chief Siniša Mihailović submitted an appeal to the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, claiming that their freedom of expression was being violated, Kovačević appealed to the same court against the verdict that acquitted another TV station.

Last week, the Constitutional Court rejected the RTRS’ and its editor’s appeal, saying that the journalist was presented to the public in a negative light as a "foreign mercenary" and that republishing the disputed article "can be characterised as malicious and inciting.” The decision over another appeal is still being awaited.

This year, World Democracy Day’s focus is on the importance of media freedom. Both protecting press freedom and freedom of expression are crucial to protecting democracy. The media and activists must constantly raise awareness among citizens of the significance of these foundations of democracy. If journalism and activism are at risk, democracy is at risk as well.

Photo by Bank Phrom

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