Protests in Serbia: RSF calls for justice for attacks on at least 12 journalists
Regularly subjected to physical attacks, journalists have been on the front line of the violence inflicted by police and supporters of President Vučić during the anti-corruption protests that have been shaking Serbia since November. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) demands that the authorities end this violence and punish those responsible.
Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vučević, who resigned on 28 January, has left behind a disastrous record when it comes to journalists’ safety: in just three months, at least twelve journalists have been attacked during anti-corruption demonstrations. High school and university students, employees and pensioners have been protesting almost every day since 1 November, when 15 people were killed in Novi Sad, the country's second-largest city. At the same time, security forces and members of the president's party are trying their hardest to obstruct coverage of the protests by all means, including physical violence, insults, and other tactics to hamper the work of reporters, who are sometimes forced to flee for their safety.
"Twelve weeks of protests, at least twelve journalists assaulted. This violence, whether inflicted by police or supporters of the ruling party, is an unacceptable violation of journalists' rights that must be punished by criminal and disciplinary measures. All authorities that answer to the government — no matter which government — must guarantee journalists’ safety at future protests.
On 27 November 2024, while covering an anti-government protest in Belgrade, Jelena Mirkovic, a journalist working for the independent television station N1, was assaulted twice by Vucic supporters. During the first instance, her cameraman, Aleksandar Cvrkotić, was also assaulted, and her injuries had to be treated at the hospital. On 26 January, Finance Minister Sinisa Mali snatched the phone out of journalist Danica Ilić’s hand as she tried to interview him outside a restaurant in Belgrade. A week earlier, on 17 January, five journalists — Darko Eker from TV Nova S, Dragana Prica Kovačević and Žarko Bogosavljević from Radio 021, Ksenija Pavkov from the TV channel N1 and Aleksandar Latas from the daily Danas — were attacked by police during protests in Novi Sad.
Investigations have been opened by the public prosecutor for at least four physical assaults against journalists.
Serbia is currently at its lowest-ever ranking in the 22-year history of the RSF World Press Freedom Index, coming in 98th out of 180 countries and territories in 2024.
