Actual attacks on journalists, Andrea Topić, Ivanbegovina, 23.01.2020.

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Actual attacks on journalists, Andrea Topić, Ivanbegovina, 23.01.2020.

Translations: Zagreb 

  • Case info

  • Personal info

  • Regional center
    Zagreb
  • Who was attacked?
    Journalist
  • Gender
    Woman
  • Victim(s) name
    Andrea Topić

  • Media outlet

  • Name of the media outlet
    Slobodna Dalmacija
  • Type of media platform
    Printed Media
    Online Media
  • Source of information about the incident
    Mediji

  • Incident Data

  • Date of incident
    23.01.2020
  • City
    Ivanbegovina
  • Were authorities informed?
    Case was reported to the police
  • Perpetrator(s)
    Known (suspected)
  • Attacked by
    (ordinary) citizens
  • Means of incidents and attacks
    In person
  • Type of incident
    Actual attacks on journalists
  • Type of attack
    Physical attack with snatching or damage to devices, cars or other journalist's belongings

  • Action by the authorities

  • Police action
    24.1.2020. Following a report of the incident, the police arrived at the scene and arrested four men aged 42, 43, 66, and 68. Criminal charges were filed against them on suspicion of unlawful deprivation of liberty and damage to another person’s property. The police characterized this case as unlawful deprivation of liberty and damage to another's property. Unlawful deprivation of liberty referred to in Article 136, paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code / 11. Criminal offense and damage to another's property referred to in Article 235, paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code / 11.
  • Public prosecutor's action
    22.7.2020. The Municipal State Attorney's Office in Split filed an indictment against four Croatian citizens (1977, 1978, 1954 and 1952). The indictment charges the defendants that on January 23, 2020, in a place near Imotski, they approached a journalist of a daily newspaper and verbally attacked her, for which she photographed a house owned by the then Minister of Health. Because of fear of their further reaction, she set in her personal vehicle, after which the four defendants surrounded her vehicle in which she was locked and for a certain time did not allow her to get out or to leave the scene by vehicle. They are charged that, in addition to preventing her from moving, they also scratched the front left door with their hands, broke the right-wing cover of the front mask, and loosened the locks on journalist personal vehicle, causing damage in the amount of HRK 600.00.
  • Court action
    The trial began on October 4, 2023 and is still ongoing.
  • Legal status of the case
    Indictment filed by the prosecutor
  • Type of violation
    Security threat
    Damage to journalists' belongings

  • 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 association organized some other form of support

Andrea Topic was attacked by four men on Thursday, January 23, 2020, while investigating the property of Milan Kujundzic, Croatian Health Minister, in Ivanbegovina. Topić was photographing the Kujundžić family house from a public road when she was approached by four men, whom she said identified themselves as relatives of the minister. The men told her to leave and claimed that she had no right to take photographs. The situation escalated when Andrea Topić got into her car and attempted to leave, after which the men surrounded the vehicle and physically prevented her from departing. According to the police statement, her car was also damaged during the incident. The journalist herself stated that the incident lasted between 25 and 30 minutes and that she felt “literally trapped” and in shock afterwards.