10th March 2018
By Tom Law

Judicial Expertise on Hate Speech and Freedom of Expression in South East Europe

Event: Reinforcing Judicial Expertise on Freedom of Expression and the Media in South East Europe (JUFREX)

Theme: Internet and Hate Speech

Organiser: Council of Europe

Date: 2930 March 2018

EJN Attendance: Tom Law, Director of Campaigns and Communications

Details:  The EJN gave a presentation on hate speech in media to an inter-professional seminar for judiciary and media actors, organized by the Council of Europe of the Press Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

INTERNET AND HATE SPEECH

Inter-professional seminar for judiciary and media stakeholders as part of the Council of Europe’s JUFREX project

Thursday-Friday, March 29-30, 2018 Konjic, Garden City Hotel

The Council of Europe and the Press Council, the self-regulatory body for the press and online media in Bosnia and Herzegovina, are organizing a seminar/workshop on the Internet and Hate Speech, Freedom of Speech and the Abuse of this Freedom by irresponsible Individuals, Protection of the Freedom of Speech and Sanctions for Spreading Hate Speech.

The goal of the seminar is to strengthen the judiciary expertise and understanding of the freedom of speech and free responsible journalism in the media in BiH, to empower journalists to abide by ethics standards of professional reporting, as well as to advance the criminal codes with regards to sanctioning hate speech.

Panelists:

  • Mr. Tom LAW, Journalist and Communications Director, Ethical Journalism Network – EJN, London, UK
  • Ms. Savima SALI TERZIĆ, Judge of the Constitutional Court in Sarajevo, BiH
  • Ms. Nada DALIPAGIĆ, Attorney, Member of the Complaints Commission of the Press Council in BiH, Mostar, BiH
  • Mr. Saša PETROVIĆ, Inspector, Federal Ministry of the Interior, Sarajevo, BiH
  • Ms. Maida BAHTO KESTENDŽIĆ, Project Coordinator for Complaints, Press Council in BiH
  • Ms. Vladana VASIĆ, Advocacy Manager, Sarajevo Open Center, SOC | Coalition to combat Hate Speech and Hate Crimes, Sarajevo, BiH
  • Prof. Enes OSMANČEVIĆ PhD, Prof. at the Journalism Department at the Faculty of Philosophy in Tuzla | Member of the Complaints Commission of the Press Council in BiH, Tuzla, BiH
  • Mr. Emir POVLAKIĆ, Director of the Department for Broadcasting Permits, Digitalization and Coordination of the Communications Regulatory Agency, CRA | BiH Representative in the Steering Committee on the Media and New Communication Services of the Council of Europe (CDMC)
  • Mr. Mehmed HALILOVIĆ, Media Expert, Ex-Ombudsman for Media

Introductory Speakers:

  • Ms. Ljiljana ZUROVAC, Executive Director of the Press Council in BiH
  • Ms. Vanja IBRAHIMBEGOVIĆ, Head of the JUFREX Program in BiH

THURSDAY, March 29, 2018

9.30 – 9.50 WELCOME – INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

Introductory Speakers:

  • Ms. Ljiljana ZUROVAC, Executive Director of the Press Council in BiH
  • Ms. Vanja IBRAHIMBEGOVIĆ, Head of the JUFREX Program in BiH

9.50 – 11.00 HATE SPEECH IS NOT FREEDOM OF SPEECH

Panelists:

  • Prof. Enes OSMANČEVIĆ PhD, Prof. at the Journalism Department at the Faculty of Philosophy in Tuzla and Member of the Complaints Commission of the Press Council in BiH
  • Mehmed HALILOVIĆ, Media Expert, Ex-Ombudsman for Media Discussion

11.20 – 13.00 PROFESSIONAL ETHICS, FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND HATE SPEECH

Ethics codes and protection of the freedom of speech

Panelist:

  • Tom LAW, Journalist and Communications Director, Ethical Journalism Network – EJN, London, UK

14.00 – 16.00 HATE SPEECH IS NOT FREEDOM OF SPEECH II

Freedom of speech and freedom of opinion as basis for a free democratic society | Abuse of the freedom of speech and consequences according to the BiH Criminal Codes | Practice and implementation of criminal codes in BiH | Practice and implementation of punitive measures in the UK and EU

Panelists:

  • Savima SALI TERZIĆ, Judge of the Constitutional Court in Sarajevo, BiH
  • Nada DALIPAGIĆ, Attorney, Member of the Complaints Commission of the Press Council in BiH, Mostar
  • Saša PETROVIĆ, Senior Inspector, Federal Ministry of the Interior, Sarajevo, BiH
  • Tom LAW, Journalist and Communications Director, Ethical Journalism Network – EJN, London, UK

FRIDAY, March 30, 2018

9.30 – 10.45 CITIZENS’ COMPLAINTS DUE TO HATE SPEECH IN THE PRESS AND ONLINE MEDIA

Reports to the police and prosecution | Replies from the Court of BiH

Introductory Speaker:

  • Maida BAHTO KESTENDŽIĆ, Project Coordinator for Complaints, Press Council in BiH

11.00 – 12.30 CRIMINAL CODES IN BIH

The needs for amending the laws with regards to hate speech Council of Europe standards

Panelist:

  • Vladana VASIĆ, Advocacy Manager, Sarajevo Open Center, SOC | Coalition to combat Hate Speech and Hate Crimes, Sarajevo, BiH
  • Emir POVLAKIĆ, Director of the Department for Broadcasting Permits, Digitalization and Coordination, CRA BiH | BiH Representative in the Steering Committee on the Media and New Communication Services of the Council of Europe (CDMC) Discussion

12.30 – 13.00 WHAT CAN WE DO TOGETHER?

How can media professionals and judiciary representatives act together and protect their professional work? Evaluation of the seminar.

Moderator:

Ljiljana ZUROVAC, Executive Director of the Press Council in BiH