Media and journalists in BiH under mounting pressure, OSCE warns

Marking 3 May, World Press Freedom Day, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) stressed that media freedom is under threat worldwide, and Bosnia and Herzegovina is no exception.

It noted that Bosnia and Herzegovina dropped 17 places in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index, now ranking 81st out of 180 countries.

"This significant decline reflects a deepening crisis for media freedom in the country, driven by several factors, including attempts at various levels of governance in BiH to introduce harmful legislation restricting freedom of expression, increased political pressure on journalists and media, frequent verbal and physical attacks against journalists and media workers, and growing efforts to silence independent and investigative reporting. The first months of 2025 have further compounded these challenges as independent media struggle to secure sustainable funding in an increasingly challenging international context," the OSCE Mission said in a statement.

The Mission said that it will continue, within its mandate, to support media freedom and advocate for journalists’ rights, calling on BiH leaders and institutions "to take further action to protect journalists and media from intimidation and violence, to refrain from legislative measures that restrict freedom of expression, and create conditions that foster independent and professional journalism."

It emphasised that "a free press is essential for democratic governance, accountability, the protection of human rights, and is a key component of overall security and stability in the country."

World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993.