The Organisation for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) Mission in Bosnia condemned the threats and insults on social media, targeting columnist, writer and activist Martina Mlinarevic, which resulted in her book promotion event being cancelled.
Croat nationalists view the writer as non-patriotic and as a traitor as she is a frequent critic of nationalism. Mlinarevic is popular among left-leaning citizens from all ethnic groups in Bosnia.
RELATED NEWS
The OSCE said it “condemns every form of violence and threats directed towards journalist and author Martina Mlinarevic.”
“One of the characteristics of democratic societies is the full enjoyment of fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of thought, conscience and expression as well as equal participation of men and women in public life,” the OSCE statement said, adding that all of those rights are guaranteed by Bosnia’s Constitution.
“We call on all relevant authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to protect and react to jeopardizing personal freedoms and safety of all journalists, and particularly to ensure that female journalists can perform their duties equally, free from sexism and bias,” the statement said.
Mlinarevic recently posted on social media that the promotion of her book ‘Huzur’, which was supposed to take place as part of the Evergreen Fest in the southern town of Citluk was canceled at the last moment because organisers were receiving threats because of her appearance.
She wrote that she will not be intimidated and will continue fighting for Herzegovina.
Organisers later stated that Mlinarevic canceled the book promotion herself because incidents could have been expected after singers Edo Maajka and Sejo Sekson mocked the Catholic pilgrimage site in Medjugorje.
But Mlinarevic then posted screenshots of the barrage of insults targeting her over her book promotion.
According to a Twitter post by UK Ambassador Matthew Field, his country is “closely following the attacks” Mlinarevic.
“The ability to disagree with someone, without resorting to verbal attacks and hate speech, is a basic democratic value. Intimidation and threats are unacceptable,” the ambassador wrote.
