Željko Kopanja

Željko Kopanja (; 21 October 1954 – 8 August 2016) was a Bosnian newspaper editor and director of the newspaper Nezavisne Novine. The Christian Science Monitor described him as an equal critic of all parties without regard to ethnicity and "probably the most feared journalist in Bosnia and Herzegovina." On August 8, 2016 Željko Kopanja died from a cardiac arrest.

In October 1999, he lost both legs in a car bomb attack.

Early career Kopanja was born in Kotor Varoš, Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1954. He held a degree in economics from University of Banja Luka. He also was a professional player of association football.

In 1995, shortly after the Dayton Agreement which ended the Bosnian War, Kopanja co-founded Nezavisne Novine, a weekly independent newspaper, in order to "foster improved relationships among Serbs, Muslims and Croats in Bosnia". Beginning with a circulation of 4,000, the newspaper later became a daily, and its circulation climbed to 18,000 in the next five years. A nearby hospital amputated both of his legs. International supporters funded follow-up medical care for him in Austria, as well as high-quality prosthetic legs.

Kopanja continued to edit and write for Nezavisne Novine despite the attack.

Awards In November 2000, Kopanja was awarded the International Press Freedom Award of the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists, which recognizes journalists who show courage in defending press freedom despite facing attacks, threats, or imprisonment.

In the same year, Human Rights Watch awarded him one of its Hellman/Hammett grants, which recognize "writers around the world who have been targets of political persecution and are in financial need".

After his death, Nezavisne Novine established a prize in his honour.

Personal life Kopanja's widow is Croatian. He died on 8 August 2016 in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina.