Twenty protesters attempted to prevent the opening of the International Festival of Queer Film and Art “Merlinka” in Tuzla, which will discuss the rights of LGBT people in BiH, organized by Tuzla’s Open Center, in the next two days.
Police forces continue to secure the space of the studio “Ismet Mujezinović” in Tuzla and it is not known who is behind the organization of protests, although the protesters were, apparently, members of the Wahabi movement, who were saying “gay” and “Allahu ekber”.
The Festival’s organizers were upset because of the situation and stated that they promote diversity, freedom and equality and that any kind of pressure on their public gathering and calling for violence is not permissible.
“We expect the competent institutions to prosecute the perpetrators of these offenses and to be alert to the situation because it is their obligation,” said Dajana Bakic from the Tuzla Open Center.