The parliament of Republika Srpska approved in the first instance a bill to amend the criminal code which reintroduces the crime of defamation. Now sixty days of public debate and then back to the assembly. A dangerous step backwards for freedom of expression, safejournalists.net reports.

On March 23, the People’s Assembly of the Republika Srpska approved the bill on the amendments to the Criminal Code. 49 (out of 83) MPs voted in favor of the bill. Now the public consultation is open, which will last sixty days. At the end of the consultation, the assembly will be called again to express itself on the law.

For years now, Bosnian-Herzegovinian and international public opinion has criticized RS institutions and officials for their attitude towards the protection of human rights. In recent weeks, the issue has made a comeback following some events that violate democratic principles, including the approval of the aforementioned bill which, among other things, plans to bring back the crime of defamation. There have also been a number of physical and verbal attacks against journalists, activists, and some marginalized social groups.

Many media outlets, activists, civil society organisations, and representatives of the international community as well as of the RS opposition have expressed their disagreement with the decision of the RS government to introduce the crime of insult, defamation, and illicit dissemination of personal data (the bill was presented on March 2). The amount of the sanctions foreseen for the aforementioned crimes ranges from 5,000 to 100,000 marks (2,500-50,000 Euros).

Media professionals and civil society have been protesting openly for weeks now, since the RS authorities announced their intention to reintroduce the crime of defamation. At the beginning of March, several media outlets launched an initiative, calling on the RS government to withdraw the controversial bill. Then, last March 13, the representatives of some NGOs and journalists’ associations met with the group leaders of the delegates of the Popular Assembly of the RS to talk about the bill and the negative consequences that its approval could entail for journalists and for the entire Bosnian-Herzegovinian society.

The next day, before the start of the session of the RS Assembly in which the bill was scheduled for discussion, many journalists gathered spontaneously to express their dissent, putting an adhesive tape over their mouths and breaking pencils as a sign of protest against the announced criminalization of defamation.