More than a hundred media workers gathered in Banja Luka, Bosnia's second-largest city and administrative centre of Republika Srpska entity, to express support to his colleague Nikola Moraca, whom the authorities named a suspect, after he refused to reveal his source of information.

After gathering on the central Krajina square, the crowd headed to the Banja Luka Police Administration's building to show solidarity with their colleague.

“We will ask that the prosecution and the police stop with institutional assaults on journalists in Banja Luka,” said Sinisa Vukelic, the editor of the Capital.ba web portal.

According to Banja Luka media, Moraca became a suspect after he refused to reveal the source of his information regarding the text he published about the rape of an 18-year-old girl that happened recently in Banja Luka. He was interrogated in the process.

Speaking to N1, he said that he never wanted to reveal the identity of the victim.

“We unveiled the initials of the suspect while carrying the statements of the Banja Luka Prosecutor's Office. There are certain details in my article and their point is meant for the public,” he said.

Banja Luka journalist treated as suspect after refusing to reveal his source

He also said he will never give up and that this is all a result of his articles on the rape of a girl in Banja Luka.

BH Journalists Association urgently demanded from the Banja Luka Police Administration and the Prosecutor's Office to cancel the “legal and institutional violence” against Moraca.

N1

N1

N1

N1

N1

N1

“The Board of Directors of the BH Journalists Association is horrified by the brutal treatment of the Banja Luka Police Department and the Banja Luka District Public Prosecutor's Office towards the journalist Moraca, using the institutional force which is contrary to the Constitution and criminal legislation of the Republika Srpska, which protect the values of freedom of expression and the right of journalists to protect information sources,” the association said.