The Council of Europe has published a case of threats against Nikola Vučić, a journalist for N1 television in Bosnia and Herzegovina, on its “platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists“.
We remind you that on May 26, 2020. Nikola Vučić, journalist at N1 television in Bosnia and Herzegovina, received death threats via social media after posting a comment on his Twitter account. Details of his life were also published in different media.
Reacting to the news on the self-declared “corona-free zone” in West Herzegovina Canton, Nikola Vučić, sarcastically asked on his Twitter account “if the ‘fascism-free zone’ would be declared soon”. The comment was followed by threats and calls for violence against him, including statements that Vučić, should end up “in Neretva river or put on a stake. He was labelled as “halal Serb”, and received numerous other insulting messages against him and his family. Vučić, has since closed his Twitter account while some media reported details of his life that bear no public interest.
BH Journalists Association condemned the threats of violence, hate speech and harassment of Vučić, and his family members. BHJA explicitly emphasised that calls for violence and death threats are criminal offences and that disagreement with one’s comment must by no means be an excuse for such behaviour. It calls on the BiH authorities to act and protect Vučić, from further abuse and threats, and to investigate all incidents and sanction the perpetrators.