From 2006 to 2014, 60 reports of attacks on journalists and media

The Council of Ministers of BiH has tasked the Ministry of Justice to undertake activities on developing legal regulations that will consistently apply international conventions related to the protection of freedom of speech and opinion in BiH legislation, reports the BiH news agency Patria.

The Council of Ministers of BiH has tasked the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees to prepare a comprehensive Information on the state and freedom of the media in BiH in light of the emergence of pressures and intimidation of the media in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in accordance with the conclusion of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH of 15.1.2015, which will be submitted to the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH.

At the same time, the Council of Ministers took note of the Information on the emergence of pressures and intimidation of the media, which the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees prepared based on the statements of competent state, entity, and cantonal bodies in BiH.

The Information states, among other things, that in the period from 2006 to 2014, the Helpline for Journalists registered 60 criminal cases committed against journalists and media. Nine final judgments were issued in favor of journalists, and seven judgments with monetary compensation for journalists (200 - 500 KM), as well as two criminal judgments in favor of journalists with compensation for damages (600 - 1500 KM), and one case ended with an apology to the journalist who was the victim of an attack. In 13 cases, investigations were not conducted or there was a lack of evidence for the proceedings of judicial institutions.