Sarajevo, 29.08.2016.- The steering committee of BHJA calls Federal Police Administration, Cybercrime Unit and the leadership of the Armed Forces of BiH to urgently investigated and sanction threats, call for rape and other brutal actions to endanger life and security journalist Lejle Čolak.  Threats were addressed during the previous weekend through Face book’s social networks, and after journalist Čolak commented on his FB profile wearing a hijab.

A member of the Armed Forces of BiH, Mirza Dizdić from Zenica, publicly called for “rape” Lejle Čolak and personally promised to “pay” to those who do it, while two ladies –Sabina Salković and Erna Potter Selimović called for “kicking a car”, “light fueling with gasoline” and “ignition” of this journalist.

The steering committee of BHJA considered that those threats are serious criminal offenses which require immediate policy response and the capture of Dizdić, Salković and Potter-Selimović, who through Facebook’s messages and calls in a direct way called into question the right to life, personal security and dignity of Lejla Čolak. At the same time, we demand that BIH Armed Forces take appropriate punishment measures against its employee abusing the Internet, complaining and calling for the commission of a serious criminal offense-rape.

The steering committee of BHJA  expresses full solidarity with our colleague Čolak-victim of radical circles that abuse the public space and freedom of speech in a primitive, dangerous and socially damaging way. In this context, we warn of the frequency of threats and anathema of people who make their own opinions about sensitive topics in the area of religious, political and social life in BiH. Instead of the legitimate public polemics and the confrontation of opinions or factual disputes with the views that individuals disagree with, we are witnessing threats, hate speech or life-threatening calls.

Such behaviors of Bosnian society directly lead to radicalism, intolerance, and stifling of freedom of speech. Therefore, the BH journalists urge all competent institutions to provide legal and institutional means more effectively to the protection of the right to freedom of expression and any attempt to violate or abolish this right is effectively sanctioned in accordance with existing laws and international conventions accepted by BiH as part of its Legal acquits and democratic values.

Steering committee of BHJA

SKOPJE, 14.10.2016 Association of Journalists of Macedonia alerts the public that the trial against journalist Zoran Bozinovski is being unnecessarily delayed. With this the court violates his civil rights for a fair trial.

Journalist Bozinovski for two weeks has been on a hunger strike with a demand to end detention, and the court today for the second time postponed the trial because of “personal and family circumstances” of Judge Sandra Krstic.

With persistent refusal to lift the detention for Bozinovski the court applied double standards. The Court does not impose detention for former government officials suspected of serious crimes, and without a reasonable cause nearly six months is holding a journalist in custody. With that detention does not serve as means for an uninterrupted process, but becomes a punishment.

Bozinovski is on a hunger strike, and the court claimes that his health is good. How is it possible to argue that for a man who is starving for two weeks and is being treated with infusions? We publicly ask the court: What needs to happen to Bozinovski in order for the court  to seriously consider the request for revocation of the detention.

We call on the Court of appeal in Skopje to immediately submit the decision for the “Spy” case to the Criminal Court to enable lawyers to have access to evidence and prepare a defense. Otherwise, there is room for the process further to be delayed and it will remain in the public impression that the case was politically rigged.

With respect,

Association of Journalists of Macedonia

Skopje, 09.27.2016 year

The AJK and Press Council of Kosovo (PCK) reacted on their exclusion by the Prime Minister’s office over a draft regulation on the protection of children by media. The AJK and PCK were informed about the draft regulation after they were asked by the UNICEF office in Kosovo to comment on the draft. Both organizations were of the opinion that this lack of transparency could not be ignored and have abstained from taking part, as well as requesting an explanation from the Prime Minister’s Office. Initially, the request for an explanation was ignored and eventually the explanation provided was that neither organization has a role to contribute towards this regulation, which is obstructive and non-transparent. In the end, the Prime Minister’s office decided to stop working on the regulation.

30.09.2016.

Journalist Ema Branica was threatened by a person who was part of the story in Nova TV show „Provjereno“ (Confirmed). As he was not satisfied by his treatment in the story, he sent the message to the journalist she would end like late Ivo Pukanić, who was killed some years ago in front of his publishing house. That threat is clearly a death treat. „Provjereno“ crew last week broadcasted story about the man who pretended to be female to becharm old and demented male to seize their properties.

The same man said to the journalist he could „slap her in the face badly“ and spit on her calling her names. CJA applauds the fact that he was apprehended as confirmed by Zagreb Police. We certainly hope he will be punished accordingly.

There were also threats against journalists who photographed church in Zagreb, Palmotićeva Street, where memorial service was held for high Ustaša officials from NDH who were sentenced to death and executed after the World War Two. Threats against journalist were made through a social network and we find it to be kind of APBs on those journalists.

It is actually a strong abuse of social network, warns CJA and calls for the State Attorney Office to react to this and similar cases to prevent verbal abuse to become physical.

Facebook administrator at „I admit I’m a Croat!“ portal in his comment called journalists in front of Palmotićeva church „creepies“ and „Party administrators who write down who has come to the church as their grandfathers and fathers did (…)“. To make the call for lynch complete, the photo of journalists doing their job in front of the church has been published.

Judging by the comments calling for expulsion, physical violence and death of journalists it can be seen that Facebook status hit its goal. Picture of one of the photo-reporters was even published in one TV show and host lied about the journalist’s job. He claimed the journalist was there to write down names of churchgoers to report on the. The host should have known that even the Croatian Constitution guarantees freedom of religious affiliation. It is the country with Vatican Agreements and religion is the subject in state schools.

CJA wants to remind the public of many cases of death threats and attacks against journalists that have not been closed for years and calls for relevant institutions to find perpetrators and their possible handlers and to punish them finally. Death threats and calls for violence against journalists we find to be direct threat to free journalism as public good and we expect relevant institutions to be quick in responding to those cases.

Saša Leković, CJA president

27.09.2016.

CJA strongly condemns decision of acting HRT general manager Siniša Kovačić to punish Sanja Mikleušević Pavić, president of CJA Branch at HRT, for „verbal offence“ by pre-dismissal note and start the procedure to dismiss Mirna Zidarić, president of HRT Ethical Council. CJA also condemns decision to make changes in HRT Ethical Codex by the end of September just to have possibility to replace its current members.

HRT Ethical Council at its session September 23, 2016 decided that Sanja Mikleušević Pavić was not guilty of „verbal offence“ – co-signing CJA’s Press Release from September 21, 2016. That PR criticized non-professional behavior of acting HRT management and supported it by documents. The same was confirmed by representatives of the International Mission to Croatia. Among others there were representatives of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the European Broadcasters Union (EBU), that HRT is member of.

In spite of the Ethical Council opinion HRT acting general manager punished Sanja Mikleušević Pavić due to „serial of non-true and non-approved information“that she allegedly made public by co-signing the CJA’s Press Release that challenged prolongation of term for Siniša Kovačić as acting HRT general manager.

By that move Siniša Kovačić accepted charges against Sanja Mikleušević Pavić accused of violating four articles of HTV Ethical Codex by co-signing CJA’s PR in spite of opposite opinion oft he HRT’s Ethical Council that found she had not violated any of mentioned articles. Siniša Kovačić ignored that finding and punished our colleague by pre-dismissal note.

CJA finds it to be an abuse of official position used for revenge against Sanja Mikleušević Pavić, who is very responsible in leading CJA Branch at HRT. CJA also finds it to be form of pressure on CJA as independent professional organization and threat to HRT journalists who might criticize unprofessional moves of HRT acting management.

Our suspicions are based even on the fact that Siniša Kovačić started procedure for dismissal of Mirna Zidarić, president of HRT Ethical Council. We find it to put further pressure on the Council.

All that had its climax in urgent public debate on Ethical Codex changes; about the debate most HRT journalists and other employees participating in creating HRT program were not informed but should suffer consequences of these changes. The debate is open until September 29 and at that very day, literary last day of prolonged term for acting general manager, changes might be approved. And that means replacing Ethical Council members (whose term ends in a year) by new ones.

We call for all CJA members at HRT and other employees not to allow that manipulation. We want to repeat that CJA was strongly opposed to new term for Siniša Kovačić at his position of HRT acting general manager. We will inform all relevant international organizations and EU institutions about these latest events on HRT and about long-lasting damage they might cause.

Saša Leković, CJA president

25.09.2016.

CJA is shocked by Novi list Editorial Board as it publicly accused its own journalist Dražen Ciglenečki for professional oversights he has not done.

In Novi list from Thursday, September 22, 2016 an apology to journalist Gordan Malić was published under the title „Gordan Malić did not harm Croatian nacional security“. It says that „our journalist Dražen Ciglenečki in his article from February 24, 2014 ‘Karamarko hired the agent who failed to pass security screening and polygraph in SOA (Security-intelligence Agency)’ published incorrect and unapproved information thus harming reputation and dignity of journalist Malić“.

The apology is followed by listing those alleged mistakes of Dražen Ciglenečki, including one stating that Gordan Malić was connected to foreign intelligent services that was essential for his brother to fail security screening as candidate for SOA employee.

It is hard to believe that Novi list Editorial Board does not distinguish unapproved and incorrect information from quoting official documents and it makes this move even more odious. Namely, journalist Ciglenečki clearly quoted SOA documents with the same statements now, two years later, his Editorial Board leveled against him. The aim of the article was to inform the public that Tomislav Karamarko, SOA director, hired the person who had failed the security screening.

It is possible that a SOA employee running the security screening did it wrongly and that Gordan Malić had no connection with foreign intelligence services nor with Josip Perković, but it does not change the fact that Karamarko disregarded the findings of his own security screening when hiring Mario Malić. Dražen Ciglenečki did not express any judgment about legality of that act nor did he imply it endangered the national security. He simply informed the public about the fact that SOA director employed the person who failed security screening and supported that by quoting official document.

It is clear, though, that contested statements were not done by Ciglenečki, but by SOA employees who did the screening. Therefore the journalist is not to be blamed; he just quoted these statements writing about an issue of public interest.

After Ciglenečki’s article was published, more details about Karamarko’s directorial period leaked. For example, SOA was employing staff for just one day then transferring them to Ministry of Finances. That speaks a lot about Ciglenečki’s good reasons to publish the story in public interest. Following these information the Parliament National Security Board did monitoring in SOA and found that „at that period there were cases of hiring persons with negative results of security screening at the director’s order“.

Because of that and initiated by the former President of Croatia Ivo Josipović the National Security Council met and in its conclusions it pointed out that „ cases of employing in SOA candidates who had not been proved by security screening were monitored“ and that „although those cases did not constitute formal breaking of law it was inacceptable“ and that „it constituted safety risk and undermined SOA reputation and integrity“.

Novi list Editorial Board (in its unsigned apology) went that far to tell lies about their journalist; they claimed he did not ask other party opinion. On the contrary, Ciglenečki e-mailed Karamarko asking for his comment three days before publishing the article (that was even said in it) but answer never came.

At last, but not least, Novi list Editorial Board accused its journalist for writing an article (the same Board published; it can still be found on Novi list web site) unprofessionally using „high sources“ and „anonymous Governmental sources“ in spite of the fact that no anonymous sources had been mentioned in Ciglenečki’s article. He exclusively quoted official documents.

According to everything mentioned it is evident that Novi list Editorial Board scandalously attacked its own journalist and at the same time violated Ethical Codex of Croatian journalists in the process many times.

Saša Leković, CJA president

Executive Board of CJA’s Branch of Novi list – Rijeka

CJA’s Branch of Novi list – Zagreb Office