Nova TV turned to the HHO for an interpretation of violation of prisoners' rights after its request to interview Abdic, who is serving a 15-year prison term for war crimes, was turned down.
The Justice Ministry explained its decision by saying that prisoners' rights were regulated with the Serving of Prison Sentences Act, which it says is adjusted to relevant international standards which do not define media appearances as one of prisoners' rights.
HHO president Zarko Puhovski warned that the Law on Imprisonment did not ban media appearances either.
"The Ministry has allowed some prisoners, such as Marko Marcinko and Dinko Sakic, to make public statements, and is now banning Abdic from making public statements. This decision was obviously made at the discretion of the ministry and it can be said that Abdic's rights were violated," Puhovski told Hina.
Ministry officials said that statements by prisoners who were in the media focus were followed by comments by other prisoners, victims or victims' families.
"This is why media statements by some prisoners jeopardise security and are contrary to the purpose of serving a prison sentence," ministry officials said.