The Croatian Journalists Association HND said it "welcomed" the fact that persons involved in an attack on Maja Sever, a reporter for the HRT public broadcaster and president of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) have been taken in for questioning.

The incident happened on Monday on the island of Tijat, where, according to the media, Sever was attacked while photographing “the usurpation of the shore and the public property,” state agency Hina explained.

“We should note that police on Monday said that (the incident) did not involve elements requiring police action, but they have evidently changed their mind after the story made a splash,” head of HND, Hrvoje Zovko, said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Zovko noted that Sever was attacked while on duty and that the attack on her constitutes criminal coercion against a person who is doing a job in the public interest or works in public service,” Hina said.

“Accompanied by a court judge, Sandra Artukovic, Sever went to see if the Spirito restaurant on the uninhabited island of Tijat was open. The restaurant was recently closed by state inspectors for failing to meet the minimum technical requirements. According to Sever, she and Artukovic were attacked by the restaurant’s owner, who seized their cell phone and threw it away,” Hina explained.

“The man shouted and was rude. He jumped onto our boat and took our cell phone and ordered me to delete the photos taken,” Sever told reporters after the attack.

The HND said it expected an unequivocal and strong response by the government as Sever was physically and verbally abused only because she tried to report about “violation of law and violence towards nature,” Hina said.

“The silence of state institutions has encouraged various offenders who verbally and physically attack our colleagues because they do their job,” the HND Executive Committee said in the statement signed by HND president Hrvoje Zovko.