Croatia: Violent attack against writer and journalist Robert Valdec condemned
05 May 2023 – The Croatian authorities should promptly investigate the brutal attack against writer, journalist and TV anchor Robert Valdec and hold all perpetrators to account, PEN International and Croatian PEN said today.
On 22 April 2023, Robert Valdec was brutally attacked by unidentified individuals while unloading groceries from his car. He was rushed to hospital with a severe concussion and hospitalized again several days later, when he was diagnosed with a blood clot in his brain. Croatia PEN issued a statement shortly after the attack, urging the authorities to conduct a swift and thorough investigation. No arrests have been made at the time of writing.
This is not the first time that Valdec has been targeted by unidentified attackers. In September 2022, he was knocked unconscious by two men at his doorstep. He and his wife Darija Aslamova, a Russian journalist, have been subjected to smear campaigns and online abuse since the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which saw them accused of being Russian spies. Valdec notably received several death threats in the past, believed to be in response to his popular TV show Istraga (Investigation).
‘PEN International utterly condemns the violent attack against writer and journalist Robert Valdec. We urge the Croatian authorities to thoroughly investigate this heinous crime and hold the perpetrators to account. That Valdec and his family have been the target of abuse for years is a grave concern. The Croatian authorities must do everything in their power to ensure their safety’, said Ma Thida, Chair of PEN International’s Writers in Prison Committee.
‘Croatian PEN urges the Croatian authorities to take all necessary measures to protect, prevent and effectively prosecute those responsible for threats and attacks against journalists. The authorities must act on their promise by swiftly and transparently investigating the attack on Robert Valdec and holding all involved to account’, said Tomica Bajsić, President of Croatian PEN.
The 2023 report of the Council of Europe’s Platform to Promote the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists – of which PEN International is a member – documents seven instances of harassment and intimidation of journalists in Croatia in 2022. Defamation remains a criminal offence in Croatia and Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs), which are aimed at intimidating and silencing journalists and media, are a growing problem in the country. PEN International opposes criminal defamation in all cases and actively campaigns for the repeal of criminal defamation laws around the globe.
The next annual meeting of PEN International’s Writers in Prison Committee will be held in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, from 12 to 14 May 2023. Discussions will notably focus on the abuse of criminal defamation laws and SLAPPs, including in Croatia.
For further details contact Aurélia Dondo, Head of Europe and Central Asia Region at PEN International: Aurelia.dondo@pen-international.org