The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is alarmed by recent events involving Franjo Šarčević, the editor of the Prometej portal (http://www.prometej.ba/), and calls for the authorities in Sarajevo Canton, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Bosnia and Herzegovina, to promptly initiate an investigation and take legal actions against those responsible for the reprehensible threats directed at him.
The sequence of events unfolded following Šarčević’s publication on 2 March 2024, of an opinion piece titled “Another senseless Independence Day,” (Još jedan besmisleni Dan nezavisnosti) in which he critically examined the statements and iconography associated with Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Independence Day celebration on 1 March. Moreover, his critique extended to the mayor of Sarajevo, BenjaminaKarić, in response to a photograph depicting her alongside a child clad in a camouflage uniform. You can see the link to the article mentioned here: http://www.prometej.ba/clanak/osvrti/franjo-sarcevic/jos-jedan-besmisleni-dan-nezavisnosti-5902
What ensued was a barrage of threats and organized harassment targeting Šarčević, propagated through social media channels and certain media outlets. The vitriolic responses not only underscored the alarming prevalence of online violence and hate speech but also highlighted a concerning trend of intolerance towards dissenting voices in the public sphere.
This incident is not an isolated occurrence but rather part of a broader pattern of online violence and intimidation targeting Šarčević, underscoring systemic issues within society. The authorities must take swift action to ensure the safety of journalists and uphold the principles of democracy, freedom of expression, and pluralism.
SEEMO condemns the reprehensible threats and hate speech directed at Šarčević, emphasizing the urgent need for the police to address the potential security risks posed to him and his family. This call for action is rooted in Šarčević’s previous encounters with violence, particularly when expressing views contrary to the prevailing political narratives in various regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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.
#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech #southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo #journalist #bosniaandherzegovina #sarajevo #franjosarcevic #prometej#journalistsattacked#SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia