Appeal to media: Prevent hate comments posted under articles about the death of a 14-year-old

The Appeals Chamber of the Press Council of BiH, a self-regulatory body for print and online media, has appealed to editors and owners of online media to very carefully moderate visitor comments and ban those posting offensive content, threats, hate speech, and incitement!, it was announced from the Press Council of BiH, reports the Patria News Agency.

The Press Council reminds editors of online portals of their responsibility to prevent the spread of hate speech, because hate speech is not freedom of speech and is subject to criminal liability!

Portal editors assume responsibility for the consequences that such comments may cause!

In light of the drastic incitement comments, full of hate speech and calls for hate crimes on online portals in recent days, and in the reporting on the tragic death of a fourteen-year-old boy in Sarajevo, and ahead of January 9th, which is celebrated in RS as the Day of RS, the Appeals Chamber of the Press Council of BiH appeals to editors and owners of online portals, calling them to exercise extreme responsibility in selecting comments from their visitors.

Such comments are very dangerous, they are disturbing to citizens and lead to hate crimes.

Portal editors are obliged to immediately remove all chauvinistic and threatening content. If they are unable to control their web space, then they should close the commenting option.

It is the editor's obligation to remove comments containing hate speech, discrimination, threats, and incitement, and to ban those who post them for a period of time or completely deny them the right to comment on texts.

By not removing comments of inappropriate content and by keeping them on the portal, editors assume full responsibility for their content, as well as responsibility for the consequences that such comments may cause.

The Appeals Chamber of the Press Council reminds both editors and portal owners, as well as citizens who use web portal space for free expression, that incitement, threats, and hate speech are subject to criminal liability, according to the Criminal Code of BiH, XV - Fifteenth Chapter, Criminal Offenses against the Freedom and Rights of Man and Citizen, the Criminal Code of FBiH, and the Criminal Code of RS BiH, XVII - Seventeenth Chapter, Criminal Offenses against the Freedom and Rights of Man and Citizen.

Content with incitement, threatening comments, and hate speech with calls for murder will be reported to police administrations and prosecutor's offices, the statement said.