TI BiH condemns the police intrusion into the premises of BN Television

Banja Luka, January 13 2010 -- The intrusion of police into the premises of BN Television, disabling the work of journalists and harassment of employees lead to a conclusion that the purpose of this police action was pressuring the work of this media outlet

Transparency International Bosnia and Herzegovina (TI BiH) strongly condemns today’s intrusion of the police into the premises of BN Television, which disabled the work of journalists and employees of this media outlet, for which the program broadcasting was stopped.

The police, as it was explained, searched the premises of BN Television based on the warrant of the Bijeljina regional prosecutor’s office, under suspicion for tax evasion. However, the manner in which the search was done, harassment of television’s employees, and the fact that the insight into the financial transactions of this company could have been gained differently, lead to a conclusion that the purpose of this police action was to pressure and distract the work of this media outlet.

Transparency International Bosnia and Herzegovina supports the work of institution and investigation agencies, but condemns the violation of professionals’ right to work without obstructions, and most of all, influencing the independent work of media and their reporting. This direct obstruction of media work is more characteristic for totalitarian regimes than for a democratic country that Bosnia and Herzegovina tries to be.