According to the Council of Europe Platform for the protection of journalism and safety of journalists, in 2021 the continent saw 60 attacks on the physical safety and integrity of journalists, 23 cases of detention and imprisonment, 80 of harassment and intimidation, two still-active cases of impunity and 60 other acts with a chilling effects on media freedom. The regional Safe Journalists platform reports that there have been 204 cases of various attacks on journalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2014.
Data show that, due to an inadequate response by the institutions, the rate of reporting of threats and online violence by journalists is low. Dragan Bursać, an award-winning journalist from Banja Luka, recently stated at a conference in Tirana that he has lost count of how many death threats he received. In the 11 instances he reported such threats to police authorities, he received an institutional response in only 2 cases.
Protection of journalism as a public good in a democratic society is a topic that deserves particular attention. Journalists contribute to debate by informing the public and acting as watch-dogs. Because of their important role, attacks against journalists and other media actors are not only violations of their own rights but have a detrimental effect on society as a whole and on democracy itself. The spectrum of attacks on journalists and other media actors can range from intimidation, threats, harassment, abusive litigation, to arbitrary deprivation of liberty, and - in the most extreme cases – physical ill-treatment and killings. When such attacks – as is often the case – go unpunished, they feed a culture of impunity, spreading fear among journalists, and discouraging them from reporting on sensitive topics.
The protection of journalists and other media actors remains a high priority for the Council of Europe. The Council of Europe has worked across its member States to ensure that such actors are in a position to fulfil their role as watchdogs of democracy without interference or fear of reprisal, and that accountability is ensured for crimes against them. In April 2016, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted a Recommendation CM/Rec(2016)4 on the protection of journalism and safety of journalists and other media actors, emphasising the need for timely prosecution those responsible for crimes against journalists so as to prevent crimes against journalists from having a chilling effect on freedom of expression. Further, the Implementation Guide of Recommendation CM/Rec(2016)4 provides member States with concrete guidance on protecting journalists and other media actors and ending impunity for offences against them.
In addition, an online course on the safety of journalists in the framework of the Human Rights Education of Legal Professions (HELP) Programme was adapted to the languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The course aims to enhance the knowledge of legal professionals, law-enforcement officials, as well as of journalists themselves, in identifying and tackling threats that journalists and other media actors are facing. The course includes an overview of the key standards and legal frameworks relating to the protection of journalists, aimed at helping participants to identify and understand different forms of pressure faced by journalists as well as mechanisms to ensure accountability and combat impunity. The course was translated and adapted to the context of Bosnia and Herzegovina under the European Union/Council of Europe Joint Action on 'Freedom of Expression and Freedom of the Media in Bosnia and Herzegovina (JUFREX)'.
The Council of Europe Office in Sarajevo remains committed to promoting the protection of journalists and of freedom of expression and media in Bosnia and Herzegovina, through various activities designed to support institutions in the consistent application of human rights standards and principles.
