UNS: Sixteen Physical Attacks on Journalists Reported in Five Months, the Highest Number in the Past Five Years

Cameramen(Beta/Armenija Zajmi Besevic)

In the first five months of this year, 74 cases of threats or pressure against journalists were recorded, which is 17 more than in the same period last year, the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) announced on June 9.

There were also 16 physical attacks, the highest number recorded in the observed period over the past five years. In May alone, five physical attacks occurred.

According to the organization’s records, since the beginning of the year there have been six cases of pressure, 12 instances of obstruction of journalistic work, eight insults, and three attacks on journalists’ property.

There were also five police detentions of journalists, while there were none last year. The number of recorded threats was lower - 13 compared to last year’s 18 - as well as cases of media discrimination, with four this year compared to 15 last year.

During this period, four female journalists were dismissed, reportedly for expressing their political views, which UNS described as examples of censorship.

UNS also reported that during the local elections in Kosjeric on Sunday, journalist crews were subjected to insults, and a journalist from Informer was physically attacked.