Bosnia and Herzegovina - July 2025

On 10 July, the Constitutional Court ruled in favour of Vahidin Durić, journalist and editor-in-chief of the local media outlet Bisce.ba, finding that lower courts violated his constitutional right to freedom of expression. The decision follows six years of legal proceedings and sets an important precedent, affirming that satire and criticism of public officials are protected speech. The outlet had published a satirical article questioning a public official’s educational credentials, claiming that the official had obtained a higher education degree in an unusually short period of time. Lower courts found Durić guilty of defamation and fined him BAM 1,000 (approximately USD 588). The Constitutional Court annulled the judgment, and sent the case back for reconsideration, requiring the lower court to apply constitutional standards. The ruling was welcomed by the BH Journalists Association as a victory for the protection of journalists in the country, while preserving democratic public debate.  

Sources: BL Portal, Lu portal, Constitutional Court, Nezavisne