Bosnian Serb Journalist’s Attacker Convicted of Attempted Murder

In a first-instance verdict that can be appealed, the court found that Colic attacked Kovacevic, a journalist at BN TV, one of the main channels in Republika Srpska, in front of his home in Banja Luka in August 2018.

"We have unquestionably proved that Colic committed the criminal offence of attempted murder against Kovacevic. Kovacevic recognised Colic twice as a face that came to him and beat him with telescopic metal bat," said prosecutor Tatjana Ninkovic, Banja Luka-based Nezavisne Novine newspaper reported.

Another suspect in the case, Nedeljko Dukic, has not yet been detained by the Bosnian Serb authorities and an international warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Colic is known as a boxer in Banja Luka, and according to various media reports was also working as security guard at several nightclubs in the town.

He insisted he was innocent.

Kovacevic told media after the assault that two people attacked him with telescopic metal bats. He spent several days in hospital.

After the attack, Bosnian journalists staged protests demanding an end to violence against media workers. In 2018, over 40 attacks on journalists in the country were recorded.

On the night when Kovacevic was beaten up, he had been covering the latest 'Justice for David' protest in the city, one of a long-running series of demonstrations sparked by the unexplained death of 21-year-old David Dragicevic.

Dragicevic's body was discovered in March 2018 in shallow water in the river Crkvena, not far from the centre of Banja Luka.

Police in the entity have failed to resolve the case, which caused public anger in Republika Srpska and the rest of the country.