Steering committee of BHJA: Strong condemnation of violation of the right to freedom of expression in TVSA

BHJA •︎ 10/12/2018

Source: BHN
Steering committee of BHJA: Strong condemnation of violation of the right to freedom of expression in TVSA

Sarajevo, 6.12.2018.- Steering committee of BH Journalists Association strongly condemns the violation of Freedom of Expression and act of censorship on the Cantonal television Sarajevo (TVSA), whoch followed after the show „Dobre vibracije“ (“Good vibrations”) where the cartoon strip cartoon and cartoonist Philip Andronicus where published. Steering committee of BH Journalists Association cosiders that the PR of the The Supervisory Board and the Administration of TVSA and the prompt reaction of the Politcal Party Stranka demokratske akcije – SDA is an illegal political interference in  work of public media and editorial independence, and one of the worst examples of violations of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights,

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Bosnia and Herzegovina, as a state, ratified the European Convention on Human Rights, and incorporated the key values of the freedom of expression and the rights of journalists into media legislation and the social system. In this contexts, it is unacceptable to call in question the right of the editor Enisa Skenderagić to host the cartoonist Filip Andronika and publish his wortk or on a daily – political basis, to interpret and manipulate the content of published caricatures. Bearing in mind the fact that the “humorous and satirical genre” is protected by Article 10 of the European Convention and allows “a higher degree of exaggeration, even provocation” (as stated in the documents of the Council of Europe), the reactions of the administrative structures of the TVSA and the political party SDA are nothing else but an attempt to seduce media and artistic darkness in the Sarajevo Canton, that is, to the BH society in general.

Steering committee of BHJA calls journalists and editors of TVSA to jointly oppose to censorship and to defend the independence and integrity of the profession, that is seriously disturbed by many years through political interference in creating media content and the work of this television. TVSA is a public television, paid with public money and with the assignment to work in the interence of all citizens of Canton Sarajevo, and not just the party SDA or any other ruling political party in this area.

At the same time, Steering committee of BHJA invites MUP of Canton Sarajevo to diligently investigate death threats towards the artist Philip Andronic, and to file a criminal complaint against persons endangering his personal safety and free work.