Threats to media outlets and organizations, Portal Istina Media, Mostar, 29.1.2025.

BHJA •︎ 30/01/2025

Threats to media outlets and organizations, Portal Istina Media, Mostar, 29.1.2025.

Translations: Sarajevo 

  • Case info

  • Personal info

  • Regional center
    Sarajevo
  • Who was attacked?
    Group
  • Group members' names and surnames
    Istina Media portal

  • Media outlet

  • Name of the media outlet
    Istina Media
  • Type of media platform
    Online Media
  • Source of information about the incident
    Portal Istina Media

  • Incident Data

  • Date of incident
    29.01.2025
  • City
    Mostar
  • Perpetrator(s)
    Known (suspected)
  • Attacked by
    Authorities - institutions
  • Means of incidents and attacks
    Through media outlets (broadcast, print, online)
  • Type of incident
    Threats against media outlets and organizations
  • Type of threat
    Other threats

  • Action by the authorities

  • Police action
    n/a
  • Public prosecutor's action
    n/a
  • Court action
    n/a
  • Legal status of the case
    The procedure is in the investigative phase
  • Type of violation
    Other

  • Action taken by the journalists' association

  • Was journalist's association informed by the journalists directly?
    Yes
  • What was the reaction of the journalists' association?
    The association reacted publicly
    The association sent a letter of concern to the institutions
    The association informed international organizations and institutions

The Government of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (HNK Government)  accused the editorial staff of Portal Istina  Media  from Mostar, accusing them of publishing incorrect information about the allocation of funds from the public budget to a number of media from that Canton in a non-transparent manner and without clear criteria. In its reaction, the HNK Government called the Istina Media portal “unprofessional and manipulative” and pointed out that this media, by publishing a partial list of media that received a grant, was “breaking the ruling coalition in the HNK”.

The BH Journalists Steering Committee and FMHL assessed that the reaction of the HNK Government was political pressure on the Istina.media portal, because they wrote critically about the non-transparent allocation of public money to selected media. At the same time, BH Journalists were reminded that the European Union has repeatedly criticized the lack of transparency in the distribution of public money. The European Commission has repeatedly criticized it in its reports on BiH’s progress in the process of European integration, reminding the local government that they must adopt clear, publicly available criteria and conditions for the distribution of money to the media.