The SafeJournalists Network, representing more than 8,200 media professionals in the Western Balkans, on Tuesday condemned a physical assault on 24sata daily journalist Tea Paponja after the Zagreb Pride parade on Saturday.

“Although the police reacted, SafeJournalist Network expects that the perpetrators will be sanctioned. Also, we ask the institutions to protect its citizens and journalists and to send a clear message to the public that such behavior is unacceptable, so that things like this would not happen again,” the network said in a press release.

“SafeJournalists Network will inform relevant national and international stakeholders about this case. Each attack on journalists is an attack on public interest, democracy and rights of all citizens.”

The network joined its member, the Croatian Journalists Association (HND), in condemning the attack on Paponja.

HND president Hrvoje Zovko said that “this is proof of the atmosphere in which our colleagues work, and let’s not forget that they work in an atmosphere where journalists and the media are accused of being guilty of everything… It’s time for those who dare to attack journalists just because they are doing their job to know that they will be held accountable for their actions. The journalistic profession is in the public interest and it will remain so.”