The BiH Prosecutor’s Office is intimidating its critics with criminal prosecution

The announcement of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH that it will review negative messages about its work and form cases about them represents intimidation of the public by criminal prosecution and violation of freedom of speech and opinion.

Banja Luka, 20. June 2019 – In the latest information for the public, the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH announces that in accordance with the law, it will examine the motives and reasons of persons who send negative messages to the public about the work of the judiciary through the media with the aim of destabilizing the judicial system. At the same time, the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH states that together with the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) it suffers daily and intense pressures, and that this is starting to hinder the work of the judiciary.

The announcement of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH that it will review negative messages about its work and form cases about them represents intimidation of the public by criminal prosecution, because such criticisms belong to freedom of expression and are characteristic of democratic societies.

Transparency International in BiH (TI BiH) reminds that obstruction of justice is envisaged as a criminal offense, and that it is associated with the use of physical force, threats, intimidation and other illegal acts aimed at obstructing criminal proceedings or preventing judges, prosecutors and authorized officials persons in the performance of official duties. Criticism of the professional and general public or media coverage of the work of the judiciary can in no way be brought in connection with obstruction of the work of the judiciary, nor can it be presented as impermissible pressure.

TI BiH believes that the last statement of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH is an attempt to prevent further media coverage of irregularities in the work of the judiciary and silence of the part of the public that reacted to the articles about the latest scandals in which judges and prosecutors appear as the main actors.

The Prosecutor’s Office of BiH was established, among other things, with the aim of conducting investigations into crimes that cause the most serious consequences for the economy, and the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina are allocating significant funds for that. Instead of a prosecutor’s office dealing with the most serious forms of crime and corruption, citizens have in turn been given a censorship body to deal with their public criticism. The only way for the judiciary to regain its reputation and the trust of the citizens is in the prosecution of high and political corruption, and not in confrontations with the media and critics.

Press rls 20_6_2019