The Croatian Journalists' Association responds to the recent banning on Index.hr by the Croatian Football Association.
The Croatian Journalists' Association (HND) has called on the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) to immediately withdraw its decision about boycotting journalists and photographers of Index.hr, since that would deny the readers of the website the information about the activities of the Football Federation and the national football team. The following is the statement of the Croatian Journalists' Association (report from Index.hr on September 26, 2015):
"HND would like to warn HNS that its inappropriate and hasty decision impinges on the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression, denies journalists their right to work, and deliberately places Index.hr in an unequal position in relation to other media. By putting in the title of its open letter the names of journalists who are forbidden to carry out their work, HNS creates the atmosphere of witch hunt. In addition, HNS has published two photographs of the only woman whose name has been cited in the title – which have been taken from her Facebook profile – which shows that it is her texts which are making the greatest problems for HNS. If we take into account the fact the our colleague Redžić is uncompromising in discovering fraud in the Croatian sport, as well as in football, it is clear why the Federation would want to make her the target.
HND expresses its astonishment with this completely unusual move by the Croatian Football Federation, which until yesterday had never informed the Association about any problems. HND reminds the Football Federation that it has never responded to insults to the members of the press which have been repeatedly expressed by one of the Federation's most powerful persons. Therefore, we call on HNS to first clean up its own house, and to provide equal treatment to all journalists and media.
For any unethical publications in the media which violate the Code of Honour of Croatian journalists, it is possible to send a complaint to the Journalists' Council of Honour, the only journalistic self-regulatory body in the country, which regularly publishes all of its decisions on its website (www.hnd.hr).
However, it seems that the allegedly inappropriate vocabulary is not the major problem. The Football Federation is used to such vocabulary and encourages it. The problem is the fact that one popular news website has turned against the Federation and has called on its readers to boycott, not the players, but "the privatized national team". Index's call for a boycott is a legitimate act, while the reaction of the Football Federation, led by financially powerful and influential people, is not. It is reprehensible.
HND will inform the European journalistic institutions about this inappropriate decision by HNS."
Saša Leković, president of the Croatian Journalists' Association
