OSCE media freedom representative meets with Klix.ba management following recent police raid on the media outlet
VIENNA, 20 January 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today with the management of Klix.ba news portal to discuss the recent police raid on their offices and attempts by law enforcement officials to identify journalists’ sources.
On 3 December 2014, the Interior Ministry of Republika Srpska (RS) in Bosnia and Herzegovina summoned journalists from the online news portal Klix.ba for questioning to identify the journalists’ sources. The probe was launched following an audio recording published by Klix.ba, in which the RS Prime Minister allegedly speaks of bribing members of political parties in order to obtain a parliamentary majority.
On 29 December, law enforcement officials raided the Klix.ba offices seizing computers, mobile telephones, documents, notes and other items from the offices.
In her meeting with Klix.ba directors Dario and Mario Šimić, Mijatović called these acts “a grave and disproportionate intrusion into the journalists’ right to report on issues of public interest.
“The protection of sources is one of journalists’ key privileges and it must be safeguarded,” Mijatović said. “Interrogation of and pressure on members of the media to reveal their sources is simply unacceptable.
“It is positive that the media community throughout the country has come together to condemn this attack on media freedom,” she said. “It is essential that the circumstances of this police raid are fully investigated and measures put in place to ensure that it is never repeated.”
The representative raised these issues on:
5 December 2014 - //www.osce.org/fom/129941
29 December 2014 - //www.osce.org/fom/133056
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more atwww.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.