MEDIA MONITORING REPORT ON HATE SPEECH IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Author: Lejla Gračanica
Publishers: Media Diversity Institute and Center for Investigative Journalism

This report covers the period between May 1, 2022 – December 31, 2023. In this time a total of 97 cases of hate speech were evidenced.
The findings focus mainly on patterns and examples of hate speech in media, examining the following
questions: what the most common targets are, what are the main ideas and messages behind hate speech cases, what actors and events serve as primary generators of hate and disinformation narratives, and what are the reactions. This research applies the concept of hate (speech) and propaganda in media and communication in broader sociological terms and is not limited to legal concepts. In this research, analyses of hate narratives are not limited solely to unlawful hate speech (incitement to hatred) nor by characteristics for identifying an individual or group as the target of hate speech to those protected by narrow legal definitions of hate speech.

Hate speech targets people, as individuals or groups, because of who they are.

The monitoring was performed by a journalist from the Centre for Investigative Reporting, applying a monitoring methodology developed for the purposes of this research. Monitoring encompassed various media formats, including comments on social media. However, less attention is paid to comments on social networks and more to the statements of politicians (officials) and other public figures because it is considered that their influence is greater. Oral and written statements of public figures, journalistic articles, comments and posts on social networks, and photographs that may contain offensive messages were monitored.
Special attention is paid to the recording of recurring incidents, i.e. hate speech that is repeated by specific individuals/collectives. Monitoring of hate speech was done using the following methods:

Non-selective searches revealing articles or statements that contain hate speech.
Targeted monitoring of identified media and persons with continuous monitoring and identification
of hate speech.

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