Croatia’s Melita Vrsaljko attacked twice over report on illegal dumpsite

Berlin, July 18, 2024—Croatian authorities should swiftly investigate two attacks made against reporter Melita Vrsaljko in relation to her environmental reporting and take steps to ensure her safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday.

On Monday, July 15, Vrsaljko and a cameraman were filming an illegal dumpsite in Nadin village in central Croatia when the journalist, who works for the fact-checking site Faktograf, was attacked by a man who threatened to destroy the team’s equipment.

The following day, the man’s daughter entered Vrsaljko’s home and beat her, tried to choke her, pulled her hair, and snatched her phone in an attempt to delete the previous day’s footage of her father, according to news reports and Faktograf’s executive director Ana Brakus, who spoke to CPJ.  

Vrsaljko was able to break free and reported both attacks to the police, but said in an account of the incidents that they blamed “both sides” for disturbing public order and that she was issued with a restraining order to stay at least 50 meters (about 55 yards) away from the man who first attacked her. 

“Croatian authorities should promptly and thoroughly investigate recent attacks on reporter Melita Vrsaljko and hold the perpetrators to account,” said Attila Mong, CPJ’s Europe representative.  “Attacking or intimidating journalists reporting on public-interest issues like the environment is totally unacceptable and suggests that the assailants have something to hide.”

CPJ’s email requesting comment from the Ministry of the Interior, which oversees the police, did not receive any replies.