Mubarek Asani, journalist and producer at the Centre for Investigative Reporting (CIN), and former CIN journalist Jelena Jevtić have been awarded the Journalist of the Year 2024 title by the Journalists’ Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The award recognises their work on the documentary Where is Sara?, which investigates the case of missing babies and was released in April 2024.
In the film, two mothers share harrowing accounts of childbirth and the disappearance of their babies—cases that Jevtić and Asani spent a year investigating. Their testimonies sparked widespread public outcry, with growing demands for institutions and authorities to provide answers about the fate of the missing infants.
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Following the release of CIN’s documentary, the District Public Prosecutor’s Office in Banja Luka launched an official investigation into the disappearance of the babies born to Aleksandra Blagojević and Nataša Stijak at the University Clinical Centre of Republika Srpska (UKCRS) in 2018.
The District Public Prosecutor’s Office in Banja Luka has announced it will review the allegations, gather all relevant information, and establish the full circumstances of the case. The investigation is still ongoing.
The jury praised the documentary as a powerful result of extensive effort, dedication, and perseverance—work that, they said, helps restore public trust in genuine journalism.
In the print and online media category, Žurnal journalist Branka Mrkić was honoured for her in-depth reporting on one of the most urgent and painful issues facing Bosnia and Herzegovina today: femicide. Her series analytically examined the phenomenon from its root causes to its consequences, while also holding individuals and institutions to account. She also co-authored Žurnal’s documentary on femicide, Help Me, He’s Going to Kill Me!.
In the television journalism category, the portals Gerila and Hercegovina.info were recognised for their collaborative series Scars —a collection of anti-war messages told through the personal stories of war victims and their families.
BH Radio 1 journalist Darko Đerić received the award for best radio journalism, while the Lifetime Achievement Award went to veteran journalist Boro Kontić. Special recognition for outstanding work was awarded to journalists Anisa Mahmutović and Barbara Pavljašević, as well as the news portal Hrvatski glasnik.
For those in the journalism profession, the awards from the Journalists’ Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina hold special significance, as they are awarded by fellow journalists at a time when the profession and its practitioners face mounting threats, intimidation, blackmail, and daily attempts to silence critical voices. These pressures are compounded by adopting laws that increasingly restrict democracy, freedom of expression, and press freedom.
The awards were presented to mark World Press Freedom Day, observed on 3 May.
