OPEN LETTER TO MR. MILORAD DODIK

Mr Milorad Dodik
Prime Minister of Republika Srpska
Banja Luka

Dear Mr,

From the statement of Mr Kasipovic, the Vice President of the RS Government, which was reported by media, we learnt about the position of the RS Government obliging its members to refrain from giving statements to the BHT1 journalists.

This position represents a breach of valid democratic principles and rights established by international standards in the field of human rights and freedoms. The principle of respect for freedom of access to information is also guaranteed by domestic legislation, which primarily obliges the authorities and bearers of power to provide citizens and the public with all information for which interest is expressed.

We are convinced that the freedom of expression, and consequently the freedom of media, are some of fundamental values of democratic societies. With this in mind, we believe that the position of your Government is a form of pressure on the freedom of expression, which we see as an attack on human rights. We emphasize that the Editorial Board and the Steering Board of BHT1 are the bodies that should examine your complaints against the editorial policy of this public broadcaster, and that deprivation of information is not appropriate in terms of democratic practices.

We therefore ask you to start the procedure for reconsideration of the position of the RS Government and to allow normal functioning of media, as well as to refrain from bringing into question the freedom of expression and the right to information granted to every citizen of our country.

Yours faithfully,

Srdjan Dizdarevic
Chairman of the Helsinki Committee in BiH

No.: 06-01/2006
Sarajevo, 16 January 2007

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