The Croatian Journalists Association has said, on the occasion of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, that crimes against reporters are very often not punished, which leads to new attacks and an atmosphere of fear resulting in media censorship and self-censorship.

The HND recalls in a statement issued on Monday that in the past six years there were 28 attacks, 22 death and assault threats and 14 other threats (64 in total) against reporters, media outlets or journalists organisations in Croatia.

Of the nine attacks that have happened this year, prosecutors have launched proceedings in two cases, and there are numerous cases of previous years that still have not been closed, the HND says.

“The HND is warning about the years-long silence of the leading people in the country, starting from the prime minister. We are therefore asking for clear and unequivocal condemnation of attacks and threats against reporters,” the umbrella journalists association says.

It notes that according to UNESCO data, in the period from 2006 to 2019 around 1,200 reporters were killed worldwide, or one in four days on average.

They were all killed while doing their job in public interest, the HND says.

In nine out of ten cases the perpetrators and those who have ordered the murder are not punished, the HND says.

According to the regional database of attacks on journalists (safejournalists.net), since 2015, 774 threats and attacks against reporters have been reported in six countries of the region (North Macedonia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia), including two cases of attempted murder, both in Croatia.

In none of the two cases has the perpetrator been found or punished, the HND warns.