Initial police response failed to protect Vrsaljko, leading to further violence

Location: Croatia, Nadin
Date: July 16, 2024

Women Press Freedom vehemently condemns the violent assaults on Melita Vrsaljko, a journalist and fact-checker for Faktograf.hr and the Climate Portal. Vrsaljko was targeted for her investigative work on an illegal dump, facing two violent attacks intended to silence her. The first attack occurred publicly while she and her camera operator were conducting their investigation. The second, more brutal assault, took place at her home by the daughter of the initial attacker. Both assaults were clear attempts to halt her investigative work. Women Press Freedom strongly condemns these acts of violence, which represent blatant attacks on press freedom. Vrsaljko has filed a complaint with the state attorney’s office. We stand in complete solidarity with her and demand the swift prosecution of those who used violence in an attempt to silence her reporting.

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First Assault: Man Attacks and Threatens Vrsaljko and Cameraman

The first attack occurred on July 15, 2024, when Melita Vrsaljko and a cameraman were confronted by a man while walking near his property in Nadin. The journalists were investigating an illegal dump on the man’s property.

 “He suddenly ran towards us, threatened us with violence, and broke our equipment (the camera wasn’t even turned on), claiming he was a war veteran,” Vrsaljko stated in a Facebook post. “Then he physically attacked me on public property, and in self-defense, I was forced to kick him to free myself.”

The journalist and her colleague called the police. When they arrived, the officers blamed both parties for “disturbing public order.”

Vrsaljko expressed frustration with the police’s decision. “I ended up with a restraining order to stay at least 50 meters away from the man who first attacked me and the cameraman on public property.”

The attack was captured on video and shared on Vrsaljko's Instagram page.

Second Assault: Vrsaljko Attacked in Her Home

The situation escalated the next day when the daughter of the man who first attacked the journalists forcibly entered Vrsaljko's home in Nadin.

“His daughter came to my door, stormed into my house, snatched my phone, and started hitting me, pulling my hair to the point of pulling some out, and then choking me while simultaneously saying she would delete the footage of her violent father recorded on public property and force me to apologize to him,” recounted Vrsaljko.

 “In self-defense (again), I was forced to bite her hand until it bled so she wouldn’t strangle me, push her away, grab my phone, and call the police.” A misdemeanor charge has been filed against a 36-year-old woman for attacking Vrsaljko in her home, according to the police.

Faktograf.hr confirmed the motive for both attacks is Vrsaljko’s journalistic work, specifically her attempt to document the location of the emerging dump on the land used by this family.

Vrsaljko’s lawyer, Vanja Jurić, is filing a complaint with the Zadar State Attorney’s Office. She states that the attacks were targeted efforts to silence Vrsaljko due to her work.

“The facts are that a journalist, without a single blemish in her career, was physically attacked twice while doing her job by members of the same family — precisely because she tried to do her job,” said Jurić. “The goal of both attacks was to prevent her from doing her journalistic work, i.e., to intimidate and silence her, which the attackers, father, and daughter, tried to do by inflicting physical injuries, threats, taking away her work equipment, and harassing her with phone calls and messages.”

According to Croatia's law, an attack against a journalist is punishable by up to five years in prison.

Women Press Freedom loudly condemns the attacks against Melita Vrsaljko. The award-winning journalist was not only assaulted while reporting on the ground but was viciously attacked and injured in her own home. Initial police actions mischaracterized the first attack as mutual public disorder, failing to protect the journalist adequately, resulting in a more violent and potentially life-threatening second assault. These violent attacks against the journalist cannot go unanswered. The Zadar State Attorney’s Office must launch an investigation and expedite the prosecution of the attackers, sending a clear signal that any attempts to intimidate or assault the press will not be tolerated.

Women Press Freedom is an initiative by The Coalition For Women In Journalism

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

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