MOSTAR ATTACK ON REPORTS MOSTAR, May 9 (Hina) - The Office of the High Representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina (OHR), severely condemned Friday's attack against two Croatia's reporters in western Mostar. The OHR issued a public statement
last night saying that every assault on journalists is a serious threat to the freedom of the press and to the rule-of-law. The two journalists of the Rijeka-based daily "Novi List", Robert Frank and Ronald Brmalj, were on Friday morning abducted from the Mostar "Ero" hotel by unidentified persons who were wearing civilian clothes. The reporters were taken to a location about 15 km west of Mostar, near Siroki Brijeg, where they were beaten up and ordered to return to Croatia via the border crossing Metkovic. The reporters returned to Rijeka around 8.30 p.m. Friday. Photographer Brmalj said he had sustained a small number of light injuries while his colleague sustained serious injur
MOSTAR, May 9 (Hina) - The Office of the High Representative to
Bosnia-Herzegovina (OHR), severely condemned Friday's attack
against two Croatia's reporters in western Mostar.
The OHR issued a public statement last night saying that every
assault on journalists is a serious threat to the freedom of the
press and to the rule-of-law.
The two journalists of the Rijeka-based daily "Novi List", Robert
Frank and Ronald Brmalj, were on Friday morning abducted from the
Mostar "Ero" hotel by unidentified persons who were wearing
civilian clothes. The reporters were taken to a location about 15 km
west of Mostar, near Siroki Brijeg, where they were beaten up and
ordered to return to Croatia via the border crossing Metkovic.
The reporters returned to Rijeka around 8.30 p.m. Friday.
Photographer Brmalj said he had sustained a small number of light
injuries while his colleague sustained serious injuries to his
hand.
The OHR said in a statement that they were shocked that nationals of
Croatia could face the physical threat in western Mostar because of
their political orientation.
The OHR also expressed indignation at readiness of some hard-line
political elements to resort to violence and harassment with the
aim to quell the freedom of speech and the press.
The OHR believes that such cowardly elements are obviously in fear
of journalistic investigations and opposite opinions.
The international community asked authorities to launch a through
probe and bring the responsible to justice. It also expressed
resoluteness in discovering those who try to deny basic human
rights to Bosnia's as well as neighbouring countries' citizens.
(hina) ms