BH Journalists: Bijeljina Prosecutor's Office Must Urgently Prosecute Attack on BN Television Crew

(Patria) - The Association of BH Journalists and the Helpline for Journalists strongly condemn the physical and verbal attack on the BN Television journalistic crew while performing their professional duties, which occurred today in Bijeljina.

The BN Television crew was attacked in front of the headquarters of the company "Elektroprenos BiH", on Laze Kostića Street, while they were filming power line footage.

After a series of rude verbal insults directed at the journalistic crew, an "Elektroprenos" guard physically assaulted the cameraman of BN Television, S.N., and hit him with a fist in the face, causing an injury to his left cheek.

As announced by the Bijeljina Police Administration, after the report of the incident, police officers found and imposed a misdemeanor penalty on the attacker N.B. from Bijeljina for offenses under Article 8 (Insult) and Article 12 (Brawl and Physical Attack) of the Law on Public Order and Peace of Republika Srpska.

BH Journalists welcome the swift reaction of the police and the sanctioning of the attacker, but at the same time emphasize that such a reaction, while necessary, is not sufficient. This case must be thoroughly processed by the competent prosecutor's office, with a clear determination of individual, as well as potential institutional responsibility.

"Any downplaying of the severity of physical attacks on journalists and media workers, and reducing them to misdemeanors, sends a dangerous message of tolerance for violence against journalists.

We demand that the District Public Prosecutor's Office in Bijeljina investigate this case as a priority ex officio and treat it as a serious criminal offense against media freedom, so that the attacker is adequately prosecuted and sanctioned in accordance with the Criminal Code.

Furthermore, we demand that the management of the public company 'Elektroprenos BiH' without delay, directly and publicly condemn the attack on the BN crew, and take concrete measures to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents.

Employees of public institutions do not have the right to unilaterally restrict or prevent the work of journalists, nor to react with physical or verbal violence to media reporting," the BH Journalists Association stated.

They remind that Bosnia and Herzegovina, through its domestic legislation and international obligations, is obliged to ensure the effective protection and safety of journalists and cameramen, especially when working in the field.

An insufficiently decisive reaction from institutions and mild sanctions against attackers further encourage impunity and increase the risk of new attacks on media professionals.

Today's attack on BN Television journalists is not an isolated incident, but part of a worrying trend of pressure, intimidation, and attempts to prevent the media from working in the public interest.

During 2025, BH Journalists and the regional network for the protection of journalists' safety, SafeJournalists, registered four cases of physical attacks on journalists and media workers, and three cases of threats to the life and physical safety of journalists.

"Such incidents create an atmosphere of insecurity and fear among journalists and directly threaten citizens' right to be informed promptly and objectively," the BH Journalists Association stated.