The Association of BH Journalists and the Helpline for Journalists strongly condemn the physical attack on journalist Sanja Vasković, Editor-in-chief of the Spin portal, which occurred on February 7 while she was trying to investigate the topic of cutting down trees and building a swimming pool in East Sarajevo.
As reported by that association, at the construction site of the company “Unitonec”, the journalist Vsković was verbally insulted by Ljubo Sladoje, the father of the owner of this company, and then forcibly took away her mobile phone, endangering her safety and right to free work.
“This attack is not an isolated incident, but a new example of increasingly frequent pressures, intimidation, threats and physical violence to which local media and journalists are exposed in the Republic of Srpska, but also throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. Data from the Journalist Helpline shows that since the beginning of 2026, there have been 12 reports of attacks and threats against journalists and media workers, including physical attacks, verbal threats, political pressure, targeted intimidation and SLAPP lawsuits. We also remind you of the recent physical attack on the BN television journalist team, which took place on January 21 in Bijeljina, when the guard of “Elektroprenos” physically attacked the cameraman of this television and punched him in the face. This case, as well as the attack on journalist Sanja Vasković, was qualified by the police on the ground as a misdemeanor, even though the attacker admitted that he physically assaulted the journalist and tried to prevent her from performing her professional task,” it is stated in the statement.
BH Journalists welcome the quick reaction of the police in these two cases of physical attacks on media professionals, but at the same time emphasize that the legal qualification of physical attacks on journalists and other media workers as “offences” is an inadequate response by the institutions and sends a dangerous signal of tolerance towards violence against the journalistic profession.
The association demands that the competent institutions, police authorities and prosecutors’ offices, above all, treat physical violence against media professionals as serious criminal acts, since the physical attacks in Bijeljina and East Sarajevo took place during the performance of professional duties, and bearing in mind the role and importance of the journalistic profession in a democratic society. The police and judiciary in Bosnia and Herzegovina must ensure efficient investigations and the application of adequate legal consequences and sanctions for those who threaten, attack or intimidate journalists, in accordance with domestic criminal legislation and international practice for the protection of the journalistic profession.
“We also demand from political actors to clearly and publicly condemn any form of violence against media workers and immediately stop the rhetoric that further encourages intolerance and threats against journalists. This is especially important in an election year in which an even more intense increase in pressures and threats to media freedom is expected,” it was stated in the announcement.
The Association of BH Journalists reminds that during the year 2025, dozens of cases of physical and verbal attacks, threats, interference with the work of journalists and other forms of media freedom violations were registered in Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to the records of BH Journalists and regional partners of the SafeJournalists network, at least 35 serious attacks and threats have been recorded, including violent prevention of media from investigative work, open pressure from public officials and targeted targeting of individual journalists.
An unfavorable environment for media work, characterized by political pressures, weak institutional protection and inconsistent reactions of authorities, creates an atmosphere of fear and insecurity that threatens not only the safety of journalists, but also the fundamental democratic rights of all citizens, this association points out.
