User:Crtew/Kjasif Smajlovic

Kjasif Smajlovic (ca.1940-; April 9, 1992), a newspaper journalist for the BH daily newspapers Oslobodjenje in Znornik, Bosnia and Herzegovina He was in his office when he was tortured and murdered (9 April 1992) by Serbian Soldiers. They later found him in a mass grave near Zvornik.

Personal
Kjasif Smajlovic’s parents were Zilha and Mustafa Smajlovic. Kjasif Smajlovic was born in 1940 in Zvornik. He was one of 4 sons and 4 daughters. He went to Elementary school in Krndici until 4th grade. Then he went to school in Srebrenica until 8th grade. He wrote his first article in 1960 when he was in high school. His brother Sakib was also a reporter. Kjasif had a son and a daughter, Alma/Netko.

Career
Kjasif Smajlovic was the first journalist in Zvornik. He wrote about the war and the political tension in the area but that is not all. He also wrote about his own experiences. He wrote his first paper in Highschool for Zadrugar and Tuzla-based Front Slobode. Before he was a journalist he was an accountant for a brief time. He then started working for the paper Glas sa Drine. He was the first editor and journalist there.

Death
Kjasif Smajlovic was killed in his office April 9, 1992. "I'm afraid the Sele are coming in for me too. I hear their steps, go to correspondence. I'm afraid this is my last report " those were Smajlovic’s last known words. For 24 years the last sighting of Kjasif was being him being drug by his heals down the stairs by Serbian soldiers. For 24 years his family did not know what happened to him. Then he was found in a mass grave near Zvornik. After an autopsy was done it was determined that Kjasif was in fact tortured before he was murdered. All of his bones were smashed except his skull. He was shot in the head and in the hip. It is said that he had received threats previous to his death, but that did not stop him from reporting what was happening.

Context
The country had been at war whenever Kjasif was murdered. Things were very tense. It was very common for everyday people to be killed. There was even an entire family murdered, including a 2-year-old child. He was not the only journalist to be killed during this time. https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=sr&u=http://balkans.aljazeera.net/vijesti/kjasif-smajlovic-heroj-profesije-koje-vise-nema&prev=search

Impact
Kjasif was the first reporter in Zvornik and he was the first journalist to be killed in the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Reactions
“Kjasif is the first journalist in Zvornik; it was something people always knew. It was a big thing. People looked at that like the municipality president,” says Mensur Krndic, former soundman at Radio Zvornik.

"By murdering Kajsif Smajlović in Zvornik, immediately in the first days of the attack and occupation of Zvornik, the truth was also killed. So, it was consciously doing what was going on. Kjašif Smajlović was a victim because for the last moment of his life, the last minute of his life spoke the truth, "said Salih Brkić, a journalist.

“He never stepped back, he was always there where needed. He knew to remain silent. He was under great pressure in Zvornik. Before the attack, he was even threatened. Three to four days before the attack on Zvornik he was with us and we saw each other,” said retired journalist Salih Brkic.