CoE Platform: Serbia Among Countries With Highest Incidence of Journalist Intimidation

European Federation of Journalists Head: Serbia Worst Example of Violating Media Freedoms

During 2021, there were 41 percent more threats against media freedom in the member countries of the Council of Europe, and Serbia is among the countries where the number of reported cases of intimidation and harassment of journalists was the highest, it was stated in the April 27 report of the Council of Europe's (CoE) Platform for the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists.

The following cases were reported in Serbia last year: violence against journalists during public events, threats to journalists, including death threats, abusive lawsuits against journalists, harassment and intimidation of journalists.

The annual report of 15 partner media organizations of the Council of Europe, titled "Defending Press Freedom in Times of Tension and Conflict" reads that the highest number of warnings pertaining to harassment and intimidation of journalists was registered in Poland, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia and the United Kingdom.

It was underscored in the report that, in Serbia, SLAPP lawsuits were the common tactic against independent media, with the Crime and Corruption Reporting Network (KRIK) being particularly targeted. "Typically, claimants request the court to force journalists and media to remove publications, apologize, publish a rectification, and commit not to report about a specific topic in the future," the report reads.