SARAJEVO, Jan 18 (Hina) - The international community's High Representative in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Wolfgang Petritsch, and the head of the OSCE Mission to the country, Robert Barry, have requested that the bill on libel, drawn up by
the Government of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, be withdrawn and adjusted to norms which guarantee freedom of information, OSCE Mission spokeswoman Tanya Domi told reporters in Sarajevo on Tuesday. Domi said Petritsch and Barry had sent a letter in regard to this matter to Federation Premier Edhem Bicakcic urging that the bill be withdrawn from the parliamentary debate. The bill proposed by the Federation authorities envisages only fines for libel instead of earlier prison sentences, however the fines proposed are astronomic and amount even to DM100,000. Apart from the high fines, Petritsch and Barry also protested against the regulation enabling elected and appointed officials to
SARAJEVO, Jan 18 (Hina) - The international community's High
Representative in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Wolfgang Petritsch, and the
head of the OSCE Mission to the country, Robert Barry, have
requested that the bill on libel, drawn up by the Government of the
Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, be withdrawn and adjusted to
norms which guarantee freedom of information, OSCE Mission
spokeswoman Tanya Domi told reporters in Sarajevo on Tuesday.
Domi said Petritsch and Barry had sent a letter in regard to this
matter to Federation Premier Edhem Bicakcic urging that the bill be
withdrawn from the parliamentary debate.
The bill proposed by the Federation authorities envisages only
fines for libel instead of earlier prison sentences, however the
fines proposed are astronomic and amount even to DM100,000.
Apart from the high fines, Petritsch and Barry also protested
against the regulation enabling elected and appointed officials to
file compensation complaints.
A special expert group has been formed with the aim of drawing up a
new law on libel which will fully secure media freedom.
(hina) mm rml