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SARAJEVO, June 26 (FENA) - The Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ingrid Macdonald, emphasized today at the conference 'Media Innovation and Trends - Media Freedom and Shaping the Future of Media' organized by the Federal News Agency (FENA) in Sarajevo that media freedoms is a topic that is of central importance for the United Nations not only in Bosnia and Herzegovina but around the world.
“This is something we work on and support, not only as representatives of the UN Secretary General in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also UNESCO, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and others,” said Macdonald, who was the keynote speaker of the first panel at conference.
Concerned about the situation in which the media and journalists are at the global level, she stated, the UN has established a comprehensive Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and ending impunity for crimes committed against them.
“We are not just talking about physical attacks here, but also online, economic and legal attacks. There are many ways to attack and threaten journalists,” said Macdonald.
In recent statements during the World Press Freedom Day, she recalled, the Secretary General of the UN emphasized the need to address attacks on journalists and emphasized the importance of halting attacks on those who speak the truth.
“Unfortunately, we do not notice that the situation at the global level is improving. Journalists and the truth are still and to an increasing extent victims,” she said.
As an example, she cited the Covid-19 pandemic campaign, where there is great concern that facts are being misinterpreted, used and abused.
“This is often seen here on the political side, but also in other areas, such as, for example, climate change. Not only journalists are attacked, but also scientists, doctors, technicians and others. This causes great concern of the UN,” said Macdonald.
Speaking about Bosnia and Herzegovina, she said that the latest developments on the political scene, especially the proposed criminalization of insult and slander, cause concern, and that this could be used to suppress critical voices in the media and among journalists.
She added that the comments of UN Special Rapporteurs on freedom of opinion, expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and association, especially the criminalization of insults, are definitive and explicit in terms of democratic standards, and freedom of expression is very important, and it is necessary to achieve that balance.
“It is important that the authorities withdraw the proposed draft amendments and the criminalization of defamation and insults because they are contrary to the standards,” emphasized Macdonald.
The UN office in Bosnia and Herzegovina, she said, published a comprehensive report on the safety of journalists, and does so continuously in order to highlight the importance of the topic.
“Many will say that there are numerous challenges that journalists face in performing their work. Not only are there political pressures on the media that are noticeable, but also economic pressures, verbal attacks, threats, online and judicial harassment and limiting the right to access information,” she stressed.
Having worked in New Zealand, she noted that one of the most important things was the ability of citizens to have access to information and "that is part of a healthy democratic society that is of fundamental importance".
“The frequent use of defamation lawsuits is a way to silence journalists, along with increasing threats directed at female journalists. When it comes to lawsuits, they are not only directed against the media and journalists, but also against environmental activists, NGOs, and some people have even had to mortgage their houses to pay legal fees, and this discourages people from telling the truth,” said Macdonald.
Therefore, as she said, the Report offers several recommendations to improve the safety of journalists, the media and the environment, to join the efforts of civil society associations, journalist associations and key institutions for human rights, the Ombudsmen.
“It is of crucial importance to hold events like this one that will bring together all the actors, to give their views and offer solutions that they will come up with. Because such solutions will help institutions like the UN to be guided by your recommendations. By doing what you think will be good for you, you will at the same time ensure that the wider community has such recommendations,” emphasized Macdonald.
The UN in BiH, she said, is fully dedicated to providing support and facilitating your work, ensuring better protection of journalists in a more favorable environment for the media.
(FENA) A. B.
