National Safety Mechanisms - Bosnia and Herzegovina
National Safety Context
According to UNESCO's Observatory of Killed Journalists, no deaths have been recorded in Bosnia and Herzegovina since 1993.
There are 2 national safety mechanisms being implemented in Bosnia and Herzegovina to prevent and prosecute crimes committed against journalists. More information on these initiatives is summarised below including relevant links.
Cross-Coordinating Working Group on Monitoring and Reporting on Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Information
In the Canton of Sarajevo Coordination Meetings on safety of journalists started in 2022.
What activities are carried out?
The meetings on safety of journalists allow the appointed prosecutor to communicate and coordinate actions with journalist associations, journalists, and law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation and prosecution of criminal offenses committed against journalists and media workers.
How is it implemented?
In April 2022, a first Coordination Meeting on safety of journalists was held in Sarajevo Canton, initiated by the Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor’s Office in co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The meeting was attended by representatives of associations of journalists (the Balkan Investigative Network and Direkt portal, the non-governmental legal aid organisation Vaša prava, IREX, Reporters Without Borders, the Association BH Journalists, Mediacentar Sarajevo, Safejournalists.net), law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Police Administration, the Sarajevo Canton Ministry of Interior and Human Rights Ombudsperson of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Who are the stakeholders?
One of the main stakeholders of the meeting is the Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor’s Office because it regulated the manner of documenting of criminal offences targeting persons who perform duties of importance to the public in information dissemination, with the support of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The other stakeholders are the attendees of the meetings about the safety of journalists: the appointed prosecutors, the law enforcement agencies, journalists and journalists' associations.
Network of Contact Points for Safety of Journalists
The Network of Contact Points has been active since 2023.
What activities are carried out?
This Network aims to improve coordination between actors regarding the investigation of attacks against journalists.
Prevention, protection and prosecution measures are carried out through coordination between prosecutor’s offices and police directorates.
Police directorates and prosecutor’s offices maintain separate monitoring records of attacks against journalists. An annual Operational Forum is also held to promote interaction between both stakeholders of this mechanism and refine the measures implemented. Press conferences and joint public statements are issued in cases of attacks against journalists.
The Network is engaged in standardizing investigation practices in order to improve cooperation between prosecutors and police when investigating crimes against journalists.
The Network has also supported trainings for both police and prosecutors, on the safety of journalists.
How is it implemented?
Contact points are designated by chief prosecutors, the Ministries of Interior and Police Directorates. Journalists can report threats and attacks directly to prosecutor or law enforcement contact points. The stakeholders have signed a joint Terms of Reference on Mutual Co-operation, which was established to specify protocols of conduct when receiving reports of attacks.
Who are the stakeholders?
The main stakeholder of the Network of Contact Points is the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The work is done in cooperation with the Ministries of Interior, Police Directorates in 10 cantons, the Federal Police Administration, as well as Cantonal and District Prosecutors’ offices.
For more specific information on the national safety mechanism in Bosnia and Herzegovina and those in other countries please follow the links.
