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