prijava
SARAJEVO, February 16 (FENA) - The Board of Directors of the BH Journalists Association and the Journalists HelpLine issued a public protest to Milorad Dodik, a member of the BiH Presidency and SNSD leader, for verbally assaulting journalist Vladimir Kovačević, a BN television reporter.
The attack took place last Friday at a press conference in Banja Luka, when Kovačević asked Milorad Dodik about the "seriousness" of the announcement of the blockade of the BiH institutions and whether he would remain consistent in his intentions.
"Dodik did not answer a legitimate journalist question, calling Kovačević and BN TV "traitors," and once again instigating a political lynching and pressure on this media outlet and its journalists in an unlawful manner, violating their right to freedom of expression and safe work," it is stated in a statement from the BH Journalists Association.
the BH Journalists Association's Board of Directors stated that the fact that this case represents longstanding political violence of the SNSD and its leaders against BN TV journalists, culminating in the attempt in 2018 to assassinate Vladimir Kovačević, is particularly worrying. In court proceedings, only one of the assailants was convicted, while the other is in prison, and those who ordered this crime have never been discovered.
The BH Journalists' Board strongly condemns the verbal threats against Kovačević and BN TV, and demands the professional and court reaction of Republika Srpska police and judicial structures in this case, regardless of Milorad Dodik's highest official position in BiH and the most politically powerful person in RS.
"His public position implies a completely different attitude towards journalists and media freedoms, their respect and protection, and the violation of the right to freedom of expression must be severely and effectively sanctioned, precisely because of Dodik's public responsibility," it said in a statement from the association.
(FENA) S. R.
