As the coronavirus pandemic is declared, journalists face numerous limitations in their work. Access to information is made more difficult. Sessions of the legislative and executive authorities are monitored online, and in most cases it is not possible to go to the field to cover the event or the media that can be present at the meeting are chosen beforehand. The number of journalists at press conferences is also limited; at some it is impossible to ask questions or the number of questions that can be asked is limited.

Journalists believe that “silent censorship” is in force, and that the coronavirus situation is the means by which this is achieved.

The Association of BH Journalists says that so far they have had numerous complaints from colleagues about the impossibility of gaining adequate access to public information and informing citizens about current events related to the coronavirus.

– That was exactly the reason why we decided to make a survey with journalists from all over the country and ask them how satisfied they are with the information they receive from the crisis staff headquarters and other competent institutions. The survey, which was conducted on a sample of 102 journalists, showed that more than 83 percent of journalists in BiH believe that the crisis headquarters did not provide objective and comprehensive information to citizens about the coronavirus – the Association points out.

Communication between most institutions and crisis headquarters has been going on for months, mostly via e-mail. It all came down to two words – “send an inquiry”, and then when you do, the answer usually arrives late for the weekly newspaper, and often not related to what you asked.

Although protecting everyone’s health comes first, Fedžad Forto, secretary general of the BiH Journalists’ Association, says this does not mean that journalists should be denied access to information and the right to ask questions.

– I am of the opinion that, for example, when it comes to monitoring parliamentary sessions online, it should be ensured that giving statements is organized outdoor. I would also urge the officials to respond to journalistic inquiries they receive through various applications. It would be bad to use this situation to deny journalists information and to witness “silent censorship” or avoidance of giving answers under the pretext of a pandemic. I believe that there are enough technical possibilities to, on the one hand, protect the health of journalists, and on the other hand, to provide the possibility of asking questions and giving information using modern applications – Forto emphasizes.

Prof. dr. Enes Osmančević, a communicologist and associate professor at the University of Tuzla, believes that bh. journalism is going through the most difficult period.

– On the one hand, you have material insecurity and poor professional position of journalists, and on the other, there are the dependence of the media on politics, or their lack of independence in relation to politics, and various types of pressure, threats and even physical attacks on journalists. This actually shows the way in which the government ignores these incident situations, and that it tacitly approves of such treatment of journalists – Osmančević points out.

According to Osmančević, what could be done in the near future is to insist on the adoption of a law on the transparency of media ownership, and for journalists to be declared officials in order to be at least somewhat protected from various attacks.

PODGORICA, 23.07.2020. – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Zoran Pazin said that during the investigation of the murder of editor of “Dan”, Dusko Jovanovic, “not everyone was up to the same task”, stating that he had his own opinion on who made the mistakes.

“You will understand that I will not say something like this at the session of the Parliament. When asked legally what can be done to determine that responsibility, the answer is more complex”, said Pazin, answering the question to the member of the Socialist People’s Party (SNP), Danijela Pavicevic.

He replied that he is ready to come to the session of the Committee for Security and Defense, where that would be discussed. The SNP and several other deputies sent a request to hold such a session to Committee Chairman Branko Čavor.

SKOPJE, 23.07.2020 – The Association of Journalists of Macedonia welcomes the decision of the Internal Control of the Ministry of Interior, who found illegal actions of police officers who prevented journalist Biljana Sekulovska from performing her professional duties.

Namely, on 07.06.2020 around 19.00, Biljana Sekulovska, editor of the online media www.novatv.mk, filmed the police patrol who performed controls during the curfew. Even though Sekulovska introduced herself to the police and showed them permission to move during curfew, the police officers warned her to stop filming them and rudely threatened to sue her because, according to them, she was not allowed to film police officers.

After this event, the Association of Journalists of Macedonia sent a complaint to the Internal Control at the Ministry of Interior due to obstruction of the journalist’s right to report from public space on topics of public interest. Additionally, it was requested to immediately conduct a procedure for determining the responsibility of the police officer, and then to conduct a disciplinary procedure in which it will be determined whether he acted in accordance with the Law on Police and the Code of Police Ethics.

Today we were informed that the Internal Control found illegal actions of the police officers and they will be punished accordingly. We remind that the cooperation between the police and journalists is of great importance and it should be further developed.

“Such a practice based on principles can help to build a professional relationship between our colleagues and the police,” said AJM President Mladen Cadikovski, adding that the negative events should serve as an example from which a lesson can be learned in order to better understand legal powers of the police when acting against journalists.

PODGORICA, 22.07.2020. – Ministar kulture Aleksandar Bogdanović kazao je da je postignut visok nivo usklađenosti stavova Vlade, medijske zajednice, nacionalnog javnog emitera i civilnog društva, konkretno u dijelu centralnih instituta Predloga zakona o RTCG.

On je u parlamentu predstavio predloge zakona o nacionalnom javnom emiteru Radio Televiziji Crne Gore (RTCG) i zakona o medijima.

Na predlog civilnog sektora je iz Predloga zakona brisan institut Ugovora o pružanju javnih usluga između Vlade i RTCG, kao i institut Upravnog finansijskog odbora, kao nadzornog tijela u odnosu na finansijsko poslovanje te medijske kuće.

„Takođe, u cilju dodatnog snaženja pitanja konflikta interesa članova Savjeta RTCG, na predlog civilnog društva, sa dvije na tri godine povećan je period u kojem politički funkcioneri, poslanici i odbornici ne mogu imati članstvo u Savjetu RTCG“, kazao je Bogdanović.

On je rekao da je, imajući u vidu veličinu marketinškog tržišta, kao i činjenicu da je obezbijeđeno stabilno i održivo finansiranje RTCG, u cilju podrške medijskom pluralizmu na predlog medijske zajednice, definisana zabrana emitovanja oglasa i telešopinga RTCG u najgledanijem terminu, od 20 do 22 sata.

Bogdanović je poručio i da je na državi da normativno definiše garancije nezavisnosti javnog servisa, dok je implementacija Zakona na Savjetu RTCG, kao nadzornom organu upravljanja i kontroloru rada RTCG, sa jasno definisanim mandatom i uz poštovanje menadžmenta i uredničke nezavisnosti

„Posebno je na menadžmentu, koji u cilju javnog interesa, kroz program RTCG, treba da zadovoljava interese najšire javnosti u oblasti informisanja, uz obezbjeđenje poštovanja i promociju osnovnih ljudskih prava i sloboda, pluralizam društvenih i socijalnih ideja, unapređenje kulture javnog dijaloga i poštovanja jezičkih razlika“, istakao je Bogdanović.

Predstavljajući Predlog zakona o medijima, Bogdanović je ocijenio da je svaki razgovor na temu medija, prirodno i adekvatan razgovor o demokratskom uređenju društva u kome je sloboda izražavanja temeljno ljudsko pravo.

On je podsjetio da su kapitalni instituti, prvi put definisani Predlogom zakona o medijima ne samo u Crnoj Gori, već i regionu, prepoznati kao iskorak u medijskoj oblasti koja neprestano tehnološki evoluira.

To se, kako je naveo, između ostalog odnosi na formiranje Fonda za podsticanje pluralizma i raznovrsnosti medija, transparentnost medijskog vlasništva kroz obavezu impresuma i objavljivanja osnovnih podataka o svim vlasnicima do pet odsto udjela u upravljačkim pravima, kao i transparentnost finansiranja medija iz javnih prihoda, uključujući i oglašavanja državnih organa u medijima.

Prema riječima Bogdanovića, u okviru dijaloga sa medijskom zajednicom i civilnim sektorom, postignuta je potpuna saglasnost oko definisanja zaštite izvora informacija.

On je kazao da je u dijalogu sa medijskom zajednicom i civilnim sektorom u okviru Saveza za Evropu, usaglašeno da se u okviru instituta zaštite izvora informacija briše osnov izuzetka otkrivanja krivičnih djela zaprijećenih kaznom pet godina ili više, čime se sužavaju osnovi izuzetaka na zaštitu interesa nacionalne bezbjednosti, teritorijalnog integriteta i zaštite zdravlja.

Tim konsenzusom se, kako je naveo, pravo zaštite izvora informacija se povećava, dok se izuzeci sužavaju.

„Ovim činom Crna Gora pokazala je predano opredjeljenje da bude jedna od naprednih demokratija koje imaju poseban osjećaj za pitanja medijskih sloboda“, kazao je Bogdanović.

Neke od najpoznatijih svetskih organizacija koje se bave slobodom izveštavanja, među kojima su i Reporteri bez granica, Evropska federacija novinara i PEN, obratile su se pismom Nebojši Stefanoviću, ministru unutrašnjih poslova u Vladi Srbije, posle brutalnih napada na novinare od strane policije i demonstranata tokom protesta u Beogradu, Novom Sadu i Nišu.

Pismo prenosimo u celini:

Poštovani ministre unutrašnjih poslova, dr Nebojša Stefanoviću,

Mi, dole potpisane organizacije, apelujemo na Ministarstvo unutrašnjih poslova da obezbedi da svi policijski službenici i zaposleni u Ministarstvu štite novinare i medijske radnike, kao i da potvrdi svoju posvećenost zaštiti slobode štampe i medija za sve u Srbiji. Ova obaveza je propisana članovima 46. i 50. Ustava Srbije, kao i relevantnim evropskim standardima i principima.

U članu 3. Zakona o policiji Republike Srbije iz 2016. godine navodi se da su svi policijski službenici dužni da poštuju Ustav i „zajemčena ljudska i manjinska prava i slobode i druge zaštićene vrednosti u demokratskom društvu.” 

Međutim, tokom poslednjih dana, organizacija Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), koja prati, nadgleda i reaguje na povrede sloboda štampe i medija u zemljama članicama EU i zemljama kandidatima, dokumentovala je brojne izveštaje iz Beograda, Niša i Novog Sada o napadima, pretnjama i uznemiravanju novinara i medijskih radnika od strane policijskih službenika i protestanata tokom nedavnih protesta protiv vlasti.

U nastavku navodimo nekoliko primera u kojima su policijski službenici pretili ili napadali novinare:

● Na protestu koji je održan 7. jula ispred Narodne skupštine Republike Srbije u Beogradu, policijski službenici su pokušali da spreče ekipu Televizije N1 da snimi kako policijski službenici tuku protestanta;

● Uprkos činjenici da se predstavila kao novinar, Milica Božinović, novinarka portala Nova.rs, zadobila je neprikladan udarac pendrekom po stražnjici od policijskog službenika;

● Dana 8. jula, novinar agencije Beta Žikica Stevanović morao je biti hospitalizovan nakon što su ga policijski službenici napali palicama. Kao i u slučaju Božinovićeve, Stevanović se pre napada jasno predstavio kao novinar. Kamermani iste agencije, Luka Pređa i Relja Pekić, takođe su napadnuti, ali su izbegli ozbiljne povrede;

● Igor Stanojević, filmski kritičar i novinar, uhapšen je 8. jula tokom protesta u Beogradu. Iako se jasno predstavio kao novinar, policija ne samo da je zadržala Stanojevića sat vremena na ulici, već ga je kasnije odvela i u pritvor. Stanojević je izveden pred Prekršajni sud nakon čega je pušten da na slobodi čeka suđenje.

● Dok se vraćala da izvesti o dešavanjima na protestu 8. jula, Milicu Božinović sa portala Nova.rs ponovo su napali policijski službenici i udarili pendrekom po ruci, zbog čega je ispustila telefon. Pridružila joj se koleginica Nataša Latković koja je takođe bila predmet napada.

● Dok je izveštavao o protestima na Bulevaru Kralja Aleksandra, policija je palicom tukla novinara portala Nova.rs, Marka Radonjića, nakon čega su usledili verbalni napadi i pretnje hapšenjem.

Pored pretnji koje su policijski službenici upućivali novinarima i medijskim radnicima, određen broj novinara je takođe pretrpeo napade ili pretnje od pojedinačnih protestanata. 

Apelujemo da se svi napadi i pretnje novinarima detaljno istraže kako bi se obezbedilo da počinioci nasilja, uključujući i policijske službenike i druge državne organe, budu pozvani na odgovornost. Time bi se novinarima i javnosti pokazalo da niko nije iznad zakona.

Ovo uključuje napad na kamermana Novinske agencije Tanjug kojeg je protestant zgrabio i udario u stomak u pokušaju da ga spreči da snima, napade na ekipe Radio-televizije Srbije (RTS) u Nišu i Novom Sadu i napad na kancelarije Radio-televizije Vojvodine (RTV) u Novom Sadu, tokom kojeg su razbijena staklena vrata objekta. 

Foto-reporter portala Nova.rs, Vojislav Milovančević, je 9. jula morao da bude hospitalizovan nakon što ga je napala grupa muškaraca u crnim duksevima sa kapuljačama, dok je njegovog kolegu Uroša Arsića napala druga grupa muškaraca koja ga je gađala kamenjem. 

Dana 10. jula, tokom četvrte noći protesta, protestanti su pretili i napadali novinare i kamermane agencija N1 News, Beta News Agency, Al Jazeera i Kurir TV na različitim lokacijama u Beogradu, uključujući i ispred zgrade Narodne skupštine. 

Napadi na novinare su uključivali bacanje cigala i kamenja, kao i metalnih stubova, što je dovelo do medicinskog zbrinjavanja Miloša Miškova, Svetlane Dojčinović i Miše Batanjca. 

Sedamnaestog jula, Stalna radna grupa za bezbednost novinara, koja uključuje predstavnike Nezavisnog udruženja novinara Srbije (NUNS) i Udruženja novinara Srbije (UNS), kao i drugih medijskih organizacija, te predstavnike Republičkog javnog tužilaštva i Ministarstva unutrašnjih poslova, prijavila je da je u periodu između sedmog i 11. jula napadnuto 28 novinara.

Ovo je potpuno neprimereno. Novinari moraju da imaju slobodu da izveštavaju o protestima i ne treba da trpe pretnje ni od strane protestanata, ni od strane policijskih službenika. Odgovornost policije u ovom kontekstu je dvostruka; da zaštiti novinare od spoljašnjih pretnji kako bi se obezbedilo da mogu da rade svoj posao i da prestane da napada novinare, naročito kada se novinari jasno predstave kao predstavnici medija. 

Ova dužnost se ne sme zanemariti jer bi to ugrozilo poverenje javnosti u posvećenost Vlade slobodi štampe i medija, te bi takođe odvratilo novinare i medijske radnike od izveštavanja u javnom interesu ako njihova sigurnost i bezbednost nije zagarantovana.

Mi, dole potpisane organizacije, apelujemo da se svi napadi i pretnje novinarima detaljno istraže kako bi se obezbedilo da počinioci nasilja, uključujući i policijske službenike i druge državne organe, budu pozvani na odgovornost. Time bi se novinarima i javnosti pokazalo da niko nije iznad zakona. 

Pored toga, apelujemo da se uvedu smislene promene kako bi se obezbedilo da se ovakva situacija više ne ponovi. Takve mere mogu da uključuju obuke za sve postojeće i buduće policijske službenike o slobodi medija i zaštiti novinara i medijskih radnika u okviru zaštite ljudskih prava. 

Ovaj proces treba da uključuje i podstiče bolju saradnju i koordinaciju između medijskih organizacija i državnih institucija kako bi se obezbedilo da sve pretnje budu prijavljene i istražene, kao i da odgovori države na situacije kao što su protesti uključuju i zaštitu novinara i medijskih radnika. 

Ove promene treba da budu podržane stvarnim angažovanjem u cilju jačanja svih mehanizama vladavine prava u Srbiji u skladu sa međunarodnim standardima i principima.

Bilo bi nam drago kada biste odvojili vreme za virtuelni sastanak na kojem bismo razgovarali o ovome i pronašli načine da podržimo novinare i medijske radnike u Srbiji, te se radujemo svim poboljšanjima koja će obezbediti da sloboda štampe i medija bude zaštićena i poštovana u državi.

S poštovanjem,

• ARTICLE 19
• European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
• Free Press Unlimited
• Index on Censorship
• International Press Institute (IPI)
• Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa
• PEN International
• Reporters Without Borders (RSF)

Respect for the plurality of information, and the diversity of political, religious and other ideas is part of the entity laws on public service broadcasting. The Law on Communications of BiH states that the regulatory principles of broadcasting include the protection of freedom of expression and diversity of opinion “respecting generally accepted standards of decency, non-discrimination, fairness, accuracy, and impartiality.“

It follows that the Communications Regulatory Agency (CRA) is obliged to take into account the respect of political pluralism in the electronic media throughout the year, regardless of the elections. However, the CRA monitors the aforementioned media only during the election campaign or after ad hoc decisions on monitoring certain media.
In the 2018 election year, the CRA imposed executive measures in 51 cases based on established violations of relevant provisions of the applicable rules and codes of the Agency, the Law on Communications, the Election Law of BiH and the Rulebook on Media Representation of Political Entities in the period from calling of elections until the election day. Out of the total number of fines imposed, in 17 cases fines of 181.500,00 KM (in total) were imposed, as well as 19 written and 3 verbal warnings, 3 suspensions of licenses and 9 revocations of licenses. (Source: Annual Report of the CRA for 2018).

The activity of public and private media during the election campaign is regulated in Article 16 of the Election Law of BiH. The rules for the media in this Law mostly refer to electronic media, the press is mentioned only in two places, while online media are not covered at all. Due to non-compliance with the rules of equal and fair representation of all political entities in the media, it is possible to sanction only radio and TV stations, but not other media. Respect for professional standards in print and online media is monitored by the Press and Online Media Council in BiH, which is a self-regulatory body.

Monitoring conducted by the NGOs shows that some media and public services favor certain political parties and candidates more than others, and that they do not respect legal obligations and regulatory rules. During the 2018 General Election campaign, inadmissible violations of the rules were recorded, especially in public services, which is why several politicians sent public reactions and complaints to the regulator, complaining about bias.

Some public services promoted certain political candidates before the official beginning of the election campaign, on September 7, 2018, as was the case with Radio Television of Republika Srpska (RTRS), which hosted twice Milorad Dodik, who was the RS president at the time and a candidate for the Serb member of the Presidency of BiH. After this, Mladen Ivanić, who served as the Serb member of the Presidency of BiH at that time, sent a letter to the RTRS editorial board, asking when he would also get a chance to be in the RTRS program.

Mirsad Hadžikadić, an independent candidate for the Bosniak member of the Presidency of BiH, left the debate show on Federal Television (FTV) on September 27, 2018, stating that FTV and Radio Federation of BiH make editorial decisions “that are not neutral, and therefore not in the public interest. ”

Also, there was a noticeable tendency for the politicians to choose in which media to present their election program, thus consciously sending a message to the public about the media whose content they approve, and vice versa – about those who, in their opinion, are “undesirable” and wrongful in their reporting.

(Data from the research „Indicators on the level of media freedom and journalists’ safety in Bosnia and Herzegovina 2019“)