Ignoring the pleas of rights groups, media, the EU and US, the Bosnian Serb Assembly has voted for draft amendments criminalising defamation – which critics call a blatant move to muzzle the media.

National Assembly of Republika Srpska. Photo: Narodnaskupstina.net

Despite harsh criticism from rights groups, international organisations and the media, the assembly of Republika Srpska, one of two entities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, on Thursday adopted draft amendments to the criminal code, making defamation a crime. 

With 48 votes in favour and 21 against, the law will go to a 60-day public consultation period before its final adoption. 

Republika Srpska’s Justice Minister, Milos Bukejlovic, said defamation under the law will incur fines of 5,000 to 20,000 Bosnian marks, equal to 2,550-10,220 euros, a huge sum in a country where the average monthly wage is roughly 630 euros.

Moreover, fines would rise to 10,000 to 50,000 marks [5,100-25,500] if the act is committed “through print, radio, television or other means of public information, at a public gathering or in another way”, the minister said, after the government presented the amendments on March 2. 

Milorad Dodik, president of Republika Srpska, denied trying to muzzle the media with the law. “It is directed against those who misuse the public space and modern information space through anonymous and other means, and we will try to establish accountability for this,” he said

Critics say the real aim is to intimidate the media. The European Union, the United States and local and international rights watchdogs have all urged the entity’s parliament to reject the changes.

Source: Balkan Insight