Serbia: over 30 journalists attacked in under two months, RSF urges EU to strongly condemn record wave of violence
rsf.org
Violence against journalists in Serbia — which Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has repeatedly warned about — has reached a sad new record. RSF has documented 34 physical attacks committed in less than two months against media professionals by both political activists and law enforcement while they reported on anti-corruption protests. This figure exceeds all annual totals of physical assaults recorded in Serbia since at least 2020. RSF calls on European Union (EU) member states and the European Parliament to send a clear message to the Serbian authorities that their passive stance – and potential complicity – in these abuses is incompatible with their goal of joining the EU.

RSF has documented 34 physical attacks committed in less than two months against media professionals by both political activists and law enforcement while they reported on anti-corruption protests. This figure exceeds all annual totals of physical assaults recorded in Serbia since at least 2020.

One of the summer’s most violent attacks on Serbian journalists occurred on 13 August. While covering a protest outside the local headquarters of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) in the northern city of Novi Sad, the editor-in-chief of the news website Razglas, Zarko Bogosavljevic, and a journalist from Novi Sad 192, Nikola Bilic, were beaten by SNS supporters with metal bars.

Of the 34 incidents, 14 were committed by violent supporters of the SNS, the party of President Aleksandar Vucic, who also attacked many peaceful protesters as well as some police officers. The other 20 assaults were carried out by law enforcement officers.