Threats against media outlets and organizations, Face TV, Sarajevo, 06.02.2023.

BHJA •︎ 02/03/2023

Threats against media outlets and organizations, Face TV, Sarajevo, 06.02.2023.

Translations: Sarajevo 

  • Case info

  • Personal info

  • Regional center
    Sarajevo
  • Who was attacked?
    Organization

  • Media outlet

  • Name of the media outlet
    Face TV
  • Type of media platform
    Radio
  • Source of information about the incident
    Media

  • Incident Data

  • Date of incident
    06.02.2023
  • City
    Sarajevo
  • Perpetrator(s)
    Known (suspected)
  • Attacked by
    Authorities - individuals
  • Means of incidents and attacks
    Other means of incidents and attacks
  • Type of incident
    Threats against media outlets and organizations
  • Type of threat
    Unfounded judicial and administrative harassment including SLAPP cases

  • Action by the authorities

  • Action taken by the journalists' association

  • Was journalist's association informed by the journalists directly?
    Yes

The Steering Committee of the BH Journalists Association believes that the draconian fine of 15,000 BAM that the Communications Regulatory Agency (CRA – RAK) of BiH imposed against Face Television from Sarajevo represents a classic attempt to censor and silence media that critically review the decisions of the CRA and the director of this Agency, Draško Milinović.

The CRA website published the Decision on the fine for Face TV due to, as stated in the explanation, non-compliance with “generally accepted standards of decency in program content”. Face Television was sanctioned with a disproportionately high fine because the editor Senad Hadžifejzović used an expletive in one of his shows, commenting on the procedure previously initiated by CRA about the video in which Hadžifejzović allegedly asked whether Milorad Dodik should be “killed”.

The audio recording experts hired by CRA at the end of November last year submitted a report to the CRA in which they stated that it was impossible to determine what exactly Hadžifejzović said, but that he most likely said “to dismiss, to calm, to pa…” – which corresponds to Hadžifejzović’s claim that he said “pacify”, not “kill”. After this expert report, the CRA was forced to suspend the proceedings against Face TV, and thus failed Draško Milinović’s earlier announcement about “rigorous measures” that will be used against Hadžifejzović because of his statements about Dodik.

The case was resolved in favor of Face TV and editor Senad Hadžifejzović.