Responding to an N1 reporter’s question on whether a sound cannon was used against protesters during the March 15 protest in Belgrade, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said in Brussels that “it was not used by anyone, anywhere.” He accused N1 of employing “tricks and deceptions” and “trying to extend the effects of a color revolution.”
English
18. mar 2025.
Students declare regime tabloid the enemy
Belgrade University political sciences students declared a regime tabloid their enemy following attacks on a student from Novi Pazar.
English
18. mar 2025.
State radio editor cancels show over sound cannon incident
An editor at the state Radio Belgrade canceled her show in protest over the alleged use of a sound cannon at the March 15 protest in Belgrade, the Serbian Association of Journalists (UNS) said on Tuesday.
English
17. mar 2025.
Media freedom, journalists’ organizations condemn blockade of N1
A number of local and international media freedom and journalists’ organizations reacted to the attempt to blockade N1 by activists of the Serbian ruling coalition's junior member party - Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin's Movement of Socialists.
English
15. mar 2025.
Several journalist teams denied entry to Serbia
Serbian police prevented several journalist teams from Croatia and Slovenia from entering the country on Friday evening.
English
03. mar 2025.
Vucic apologizes to one RTS reporter, expresses doubts about others
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic apologized to the public and the state TV (RTS) for calling an RTS journalist reporting on Saturday’s student protest in Nis an imbecile but implied that the public broadcaster’s reporters are not objective.
English
26. feb 2025.
CRTA NGO says pro-regime tabloids knew of raids
One of the NGOs raided on Tuesday as part of investigations into possible misuse of USAID funding said that pro-regime media knew about the raids before they happened.
English
26. feb 2025.
Police raid NGOs, investigating USAID funding
The Belgrade police raided the offices of two democracy watchdog NGOs under warrants from anti-corruption prosecutors, the Serbian state TV (RTS) reported on Tuesday.
English
07. feb 2025.
Serbia: Protect journalists amidst nationwide protests
“Once again, independent journalists seeking to inform on nationwide protests in Serbia are the target of the Serbian authorities as well as pro-government media and trolls, who not only prevent them from reporting but vilify them through hateful statements and manipulated videos. We stand with the courageous journalists of Serbia and urge the authorities to ensure their safety” - Ma Thida, Chair of PEN International’s Writers in Prison Committee
English
06. feb 2025.
The European Commission must stop burying its head in the sand as press freedom deteriorates in Member States
Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which contributes to the European Commission's annual report on the rule of law in the European Union (EU), condemns the Commission's persistent inaction as Member States continue to attack press freedom. RSF calls on the Commission to assume its responsibility to enforce its rules and do everything in its power to halt the erosion of press freedom in Europe.
English
31. jan 2025.
Serbia: IFJ and EFJ sound alarm about press restrictions and dismissals
Several journalists have been dismissed and a number of attacks against media professionals have been recorded since wider protests swept across Serbia following a fatal accident at a train station on 1 November 2024. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) join their affiliates, the Independent Journalists’ Association (NUNS), the Journalists Association of Serbia (UNS) and the Union of Journalists and Media Workers of Serbia (SINOS), in condemning the attacks and calling for justice and accountability.
English
28. jan 2025.
State TV staff joins Monday’s student protest in Belgrade
On Monday, Serbian state TV (RTS) staff joined the student protest in Belgrade by blocking traffic outside the RTS headquarters.
English
28. jan 2025.
Serbia: full support to journalists on strike to defend public interest
The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today gave its full support to the Serbian journalists’ organisations which have called for a general strike to take part in the action of “general civil disobedience” organised by Serbian students following the tragic accident at the Novi Sad train station, killing 15 people. The EFJ denounces in particular the threats made by the Serbian Minister of Information and Telecommunications Dejan Ristić against the Serbian Coalition for Media Freedom.
English
23. jan 2025.
Serbian pro-regime tabloids deleting offensive articles
The Cenzolovka media freedom watchdog portal said that Serbian pro-regime tabloids are deleting articles in which they attacked the student protesters in an effort to avoid being shut down.
English
15. jan 2025.
#IFJBlog: REM, a nightmare for Serbian media
"He who controls the media controls the mind". This catchy quote is from Noam Chomsky, a US professor and intellectual, renowned linguist and social critic. It well describes life in Serbia nowadays. At stake in Serbia today is the independence of the Regulatory Agency for Electronic Media (REM), specifically its Council, which is in the process of re-appointment and whose members are to be selected by the Parliament.
English
18. dec 2024.
Serbia used spyware to hack phones of journalists
Less than a week after the publication of our joint appeal to the EU to take urgent EU-wide measures, such as stricter regulation of spyware exports and use, new spyware abuse scandal erupts in Serbia: Serbian intelligence services and police have used spyware and other digital tools to hack the phones of journalists and illegally surveil them, Amnesty International said in a report published on Monday.
English
31. okt 2024.
Impunity: Governments must be held accountable for targeting journalists, says IFJ
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) insists that national governments are held accountable when journalists are killed or targeted across the world, in particular those in Palestine, Lebanon, Israel, and Syria as a result of the war in Gaza. The appeal comes on 2 November, the 10th anniversary of International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists.
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25. okt 2024.
Statement by Member States of the CoD Governing Council regarding Belarusian pro-democracy activist Andrei Gnyot
We, the undersigned members of the Community of Democracies Governing Council, express deep concern over the request for extradition of Belarusian filmmaker and activist Mr. Andrei Gnyot from Serbia. Extradition of democratic activists to the autocratic Minsk regime, which notoriously violates international law, including human rights, undermines the democratic principles enshrined in the Warsaw Declaration, and is incompatible with adherence to the rules-based international order.
English
15. okt 2024.
Serbian judge’s lawsuits set to chill press freedom
The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) expresses grave concern regarding the legal threats facing the Serbian investigative news organization KRIK and its journalists. These abusive legal actions include demands for imprisonment and bans from journalism. We stand with the journalists on trial, and urge Serbia to implement anti-SLAPP safeguards to protect independent media.
English
11. okt 2024.
No justice for journalists targeted by Israel despite strong evidence of war crime (VIDEO)
A year on, there is still no accountability following the October 13, 2023, targeted Israeli attack that killed Issam Abdallah and injured six journalists in southern Lebanon