Award-winning journalist and documentary filmmaker Melita Vrsaljko, who works for Faktograf (https://faktograf.hr/) and the Climate Portal (Klimatski Portal – https://klima.faktograf.hr/), recently faced two violent attacks while performing her duties. These incidents have raised significant concerns about the safety of journalists in Croatia, particularly those working in smaller communities.
Faktograf web portal is published by the Association for the Informed Public and is part of IFCN (International Fact Checking Network). Klimatski Portal reports about the climate crisis.
The first attack occurred on 15 July 2024 in a village near Zadar, Croatia, where Vrsaljko and a cameraman were documenting an emerging illegal dump site. As they were passing by the site, a man confronted them. He allegedly threatened violence and damage to their equipment and physically attacked Vrsaljko. All happened on public property. She defended herself by kicking him to free herself. Despite reporting the incident to the police, Vrsaljko was charged and given a restraining order to stay at least 50 meters away from the attacker.
The following day, on 16 July 2024 Vrsaljko faced another attack, this time in her own home. The daughter of the initial attacker allegedly violently entered Vrsaljko’s home, physically assaulted her, snatched her mobile phone, and attempted to delete the recordings of her father. Vrsaljko had to bite the attacker in self-defense to free herself and call the police. The police detained the attacker, but their response to the incidents has been criticized for mischaracterizing the assaults as public order offenses, implying Vrsaljko was equally involved.
Both attackers are allegedly related to a local politician.
Vrsaljko took to social media to describe her ordeal. She emphasized that the motive behind the attacks was to intimidate and silence her journalistic work.
The lawyer of Faktograf announced the intention to file a complaint with the State Attorney’s Office, citing the Criminal Code provisions. They stressed that the attacks were deliberate attempts to hinder her journalistic activities through violence, threats, and harassment.
The Croatian Ministry of Culture and Media also condemned the attacks, reiterating its commitment to media freedom and the safety of journalists. They assured continuous efforts to enforce media legislation and protocols to protect journalists from such assaults.
These incidents underscore the risks faced by journalists like Vrsaljko, who are dedicated to uncovering important local issues despite the dangers. The attacks on her are a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle for media freedom on local level in Croatia.
According to Faktograf the association has for years endured violent threats.
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemns the recent violent attacks on journalist Melita Vrsaljko, which occurred both while she was performing her duties and later at her home. These assaults represent an unacceptable attempt to intimidate and silence a journalist dedicated to uncovering the truth. SEEMO urges local authorities to thoroughly investigate these incidents and ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable, reinforcing the importance of protecting press freedom and the safety of journalists.
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.
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