Steering Board of BH Journalists condemns threats to photojournalist Muhidin Živojević by 'person from KS Government'

SARAJevo, (Patria) - The Steering Board of the Association of BH Journalists condemned the verbal threats and attempted obstruction of Muhidin Živojević, photojournalist for the portal Faktor.ba, from photographing the arrival of deputies at today's session of the Sarajevo Canton Assembly.

In the public parking lot next to the KS Government and Assembly building, an unknown man approached photojournalist Živojević and, with curses, threats, and shoving, demanded that he stop filming. The attacker introduced himself as a person 'from the Canton Government' although he had no accreditation, unsuccessfully tried to provoke a reaction from the nearby police, and finally returned to Živojević and told him he would 'remember him'.

The Steering Board of BH Journalists considers the obstruction of media workers during the performance of their professional duties inadmissible, and reminds that photojournalists have the right to freely film and photograph all public events and persons with public functions, including the arrival of deputies at the KS Assembly session today. Any obstruction of the work of media professionals is contrary to media freedoms and democratic values, and such behavior is particularly harmful if it comes from persons paid with public money, regardless of whether they are officeholders or persons performing technical tasks for the executive and legislative authorities of Sarajevo Canton.

The Steering Board of BH Journalists calls on the competent personnel and officials of Sarajevo Canton to urgently identify the person who attacked photojournalist Muhidin Živojević and to take legal sanctions against him. At the same time, BH Journalists demand from all officeholders in the KS Government and Assembly to respect media freedoms and create a safe environment for the work of media crews who have been following events related to the (non)formation of new government and current political conflicts in KS for days.