Other threats to journalists, Nikola Morača, Banja Luka, 24.02.2023.

BHJA •︎ 02/03/2023

Other threats to journalists, Nikola Morača, Banja Luka, 24.02.2023.

Translations: Sarajevo 

  • Case info

  • Personal info

  • Regional center
    Sarajevo
  • Who was attacked?
    Journalist
  • Gender
    Male
  • Victim(s) name
    Nikola Morača

  • Media outlet

  • Name of the media outlet
    EuroBlic - SrpskaInfo
  • Type of media platform
    Printed Media
    Online Media
  • Source of information about the incident
    Journalist

  • Incident Data

  • Date of incident
    24.02.2023
  • City
    Banja Luka
  • Perpetrator(s)
    Known (suspected)
  • Attacked by
    Authorities - institutions
  • Means of incidents and attacks
    In person
  • Type of incident
    Other threats to journalists
  • Type of threat
    Unfounded judicial and administrative harassment including SLAPP cases

  • Action by the authorities

  • Police action
    In the presence of prosecutor Gordana Mijatović, on-duty police inspectors interrogated the reporter and demanded that he reveal "who gave him the information" about the person suspected of rape, and confiscated his mobile phone even though they did not have a legal court order for it. Also, the police and the acting prosecutor told the journalist that he "will be detained by the police for at least five hours", and at the same time forced the journalist to hand over his phone to them, and to sign that he was "voluntarily" handing over his own phone to the police.
  • Public prosecutor's action
    Journalist Nikola Morača and media editors were suspected of the criminal offense of "violating the secrecy of the proceedings" regarding the rape of an 18-year-old girl. After four months of investigation at the District Prosecutor's Office in Banja Luka and public pressure for violations of journalistic rights and media freedoms, the investigation against this journalist and the editors of these two media: EuroBlic and Srpska.info was suspended. https://www.gerila.info/tuzilastvo-obustavilo-istragu-protiv-nikole-morace-i-urednika-u-euroblicu-i-srpskainfo/
  • Legal status of the case
    Deferred prosecution
  • 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 association organized some other form of support

Journalist Nikola Morača was questioned at the Banja Luka Police Department because of the information he presented in his author’s text about the rape of an eighteen-year-old girl, for which one person is suspected. In the presence of prosecutor Gordana Mijatović, the police inspectors on duty demanded that the journalist reveal “who gave him the information” about the person suspected of rape, and confiscated his mobile phone, even though they did not have a legal court order to do so.

At the same time, the inspectors and the prosecutor, demonstrating their institutional supremacy and explaining that he would be detained for at least five hours by the police, took advantage of the journalist’s unfavorable situation and forced him to sign that he was “voluntarily” handing over his phone to the police.

BH Journalists reacted with a statement. The Safejournalists network also had a statement on this case.

After four months of investigation and public pressure for violations of journalistic rights and media freedoms, the investigation against this journalist was suspended.