BH Journalists Stand with Avdo Avdić and Hayat: SIPA Must Know Journalists Have the Right to Protect Sources

(Patria) - The Steering Board of the BH Journalists Association and the Helpline for Journalists demand that the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) cease investigative actions that could negatively impact the protection of journalistic sources and the preservation of professional secrecy, which were initiated in connection with the BiH Prosecutor's Office order to question journalist Avdo Avdić, editor of the portal Istraga.ba, and responsible persons at Hayat TV.

The Steering Board of BH Journalists expresses astonishment at the phone calls to journalist Avdo Avdić and the editorial staff of Hayat to appear at SIPA premises for questioning, without prior written notification of their capacity or the criminal offense in question.

Such actions are contrary to the Council of Europe's standards on the protection of freedom of expression and the application of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, which explicitly stipulate the circumstances under which journalists may be interrogated and how the procedure for legitimate restrictions on freedom of expression is conducted.

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BiH Prosecutor's Office ordered SIPA to question journalist Avdo Avdić and Hayat Television officials over Vučić, Čović, and Szijjártó

(Patria) - Journalist Avdo Avdić, editor of the portal Istraga.ba and editor and host of the show Istraga sedmice on Hayat Television, will give a statement on Friday at the premises of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) due to the publication of a document concerning the arrival of Da

The Steering Board of BH Journalists also emphasizes that the order to question journalists contradicts the provisions of BiH's Criminal Procedure Code, which prohibits questioning journalists to reveal business secrets and sources of information.

"As is known, journalists and other media professionals can and should reveal their sources only in cases where their information could assist investigative bodies in uncovering perpetrators of war crimes and other murders.

The Steering Board of BH Journalists encourages journalist Avdić and his colleagues at Hayat TV to refuse to provide SIPA inspectors with any data or documents that could compromise the confidentiality and integrity of information sources, until they are fully informed why they are being summoned for questioning, i.e., what criminal offense is involved," stated the BH Journalists Association.