Protecting freedom of expression and of the media in Bosnia and Herzegovina (PRO-FREX)
At a glance
The action aims to contribute to an improved, pluralistic, and safer environment for the exercise of the freedom of expression, in particular for journalists and media professionals, in line with the standards as set forth by the Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
The aim is to help beneficiary institutions and civil society organisations in Bosnia and Herzegovina progress towards meeting their reform agendas in the field of freedom of expression and freedom of media in line with European standards.
Funding
This action is implemented within the joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”
Duration
01 January 2023 – 31 December 2026
What are the goals and objectives of the action?
- Promoting the freedom of expression and freedom of the media, and improving the application of European standards in this regard,
- Enhancing the protection of journalists and contributing to the creation of a safer and more pluralistic environment for the work of media professionals,
- Empowering responsible actors to strengthen their skills and knowledge needed to apply these standards in their daily work.
Who benefits from the action?
- Independent regulatory authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the field of media and access to information (BiH Communications Regulatory Agency, BiH Personal Data Protection Agency),
- Professional associations of journalists and media actors,
- Professionals such as judges, prosecutors, police officers, lawyers, broadcasters, journalists, other media actors, university students,
- the society of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
How does the action work?
The completion of action objectives is envisioned through:
- provision of legal advice to improve the alignment of legal and regulatory frameworks with the relevant European standards,
- promotion and production of research and policy support,
- raising of awareness about European standards among duty-bearers and rights-holders,
- capacity-building activities for various professional categories anchored in European standards and the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR),
- facilitating regional dialogue and exchange of good practices.
What do we expect to achieve?
Upon the completion of this action, we wish to see:
- further improved capacities of legal professionals, judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement in Bosnia and Herzegovina when it comes to applying European standards related to freedom of expression, safety of journalists, and digital rights,
- increased awareness among the media community and civil society organisations about the available tools related to the safety and protection of journalists,
- further strengthened capacities of the BiH Communications Regulatory Agency to design and implement regulatory practices in line with European standards,
- enhanced capacities of the BiH Personal Data Protection Agency to fulfil its regulatory and supervisory role in line with European standards, including the Council of Europe Convention 108+ on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data.
What is the budget of the action?
The total budget of the action is 560 000 EUR.
The budget allocated to the overall Horizontal Facility programme amounts to ca. 41 Million EUR (85% funded by the European Union, 15% by the Council of Europe).
The “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” is a joint initiative of the European Union and the Council of Europe that enables the Western Balkans Beneficiaries and Türkiye to meet their reform agendas in the fields of human rights, rule of law and democracy and to comply with the European standards, which is also a priority for the EU enlargement process.
- Freedom of expression and information: Stakeholder mapping and analysis
- Mapping of international standards and monitoring and reporting obligations of Bosnia and Herzegovina on freedom of expression and information
- Regulation of political advertising: A comparative study with reflections on the situation in South East Europe
- Guidelines on safeguarding privacy in the media
- Regulatory agencies for media and protection of minors (BCS only)
- Media regulatory authorities and hate speech
Council of Europe Office in Sarajevo
Vanja IBRAHIMBEGOVIĆ-TIHAK
Senior Project Officer
Sanja VULETIĆ
Project Assistant
Council of Europe
Freedom of Expression
Joint programme
Horizontal Facility