Eight civil society organizations based in Banja Luka signed yesterday, February 7, 2023, the declaration “TOGETHER AGAINST RESTRICTIONS OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS” in which they expressed their opposition and condemnation of the announcement of the adoption of a set of laws in Republic of Srpska that would seriously threaten the right to freedom of expression and called into question the free work of independent media, associations, and activists in RS.
The organizations are against the criminalization of defamation, but also against the expansion of crimes against the constitutional order of the RS.
“We warn the public that changes to current laws and the adoption of new announced laws would lead to the creation of a repressive environment and revanchism towards dissenters, which would represent a departure from democratic ideals, which we hope Republic of Srpska strives for”, states, among other things, in the Declaration signed by: Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Banja Luka, Transparency International in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Banja Luka Center for Human Rights, Center for the Environment, Club of Journalists Banja Luka | BH Journalists, Association of Citizens “Hi Neighbor”, Association “eTrafika” and Center for Informational Decontamination of Youth Banja Luka | Buka.
The declaration was signed as part of the conference “How Much Freedom Will We Have Left” organized yesterday in Banjaluka, February 7, by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Capital.ba and the Club of Journalists Banja Luka/BH Journalists.
At the conference, conclusions were also adopted, demanding the abandonment of the non-transparent and “quick” adoption of the announced set of laws, changes to the existing Defamation Law of RS, strengthening of independent journalism and adequate processing of threats and attacks on journalists.
