Platform for Progress: Respect the rights and freedoms of journalists in BiH

SARAJevo, (Patria) - Platform for Progress calls on all political and other actors to support the rights and freedoms of journalists in our country.

"Any form of violence and intimidation aimed at censoring free thought and media reporting is unacceptable," said the Platform for Progress.

They remind that Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ratified by Bosnia and Herzegovina, stipulates the following: "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."

"In order to achieve the ideal of a free society in which every individual will professionally engage in their work, we must ensure favorable working conditions for free-thinking people. This applies to the work of all professionals, including journalists," the statement said.

Platform for Progress considers any public or other form of pressure on journalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina to be inadmissible.

"We call on those actors who believe that journalists are violating their rights to direct their complaints to the Press Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina or the Communications Regulatory Agency. Public discourse in Bosnia and Herzegovina must be decent and professional. Attempts to justify the unjustifiable, i.e., inappropriate, vulgar, or violent behavior of any individual, regardless of who it is, do not contribute to the rule of law or the building of a free society in Bosnia and Herzegovina," the Platform for Progress stated.