They like patriotic rallies and patrolling the streets. They dislike vaccines, migrants and “the system”. And they have the support of one in 10 Serbs on Facebook.
English
14. sep 2021.
Bosnian Women Journalists and Advocates Receive Death Threats for Supporting Refugees
SARAJEVO—“Those prostitutes … should be lynched so they remember whom they’re dealing with,” read one comment on a Bosnian “anti-migrant” Facebook group post targeting Zehida Bihorac. Other comments were even more explicit, detailing graphic and sexually violent threats. Bihorac is a teacher and human rights defender known for assisting “people on the move” (the term preferred by…
English
27. avg 2021.
With new foreign agent labels, Russia steps up attack on independent media
The IPI global network today condemned what it called the biggest crackdown on independent media in Russia in several years and urged international condemnation of the escalating assault on media freedom by the Kremlin ahead of next month’s parliamentary election.
English
24. avg 2021.
Tabloid Kurir, known to be close to the government, is suing independent media and one NGO claiming damages of close to 100 000 Euros
The publisher of the pro-government tabloid Kurir, Adria Media Group, has filed a lawsuit in the Commercial Court in Belgrade against publishers of independent portals Cenzolovka, Raskrikavanje, and Javni Servis, as well as against a publisher of daily Danas, and non-governmental organization Centar za Interkulturnu Komunikaciju and is asking damages of 11 million Dinars, or close to 100 000 Euros, claiming reputational damage.
English
22. avg 2021.
Investigators Into Serbian Journalist’s Murder ‘Still in Danger’
Police probing the 1999 murder of the famous journalist Slavko Curuvija still face real security risks, the head of the Serbian Commission Investigating Murders of Journalists has said.
English
02. avg 2021.
Brutal campaign against KRIK following publishing of statement declaring it “number 1 enemy of the state”
Following investigative journalism portal KRIK’s publishing of parts of the testimony of Veljko Belivuk – a supporters’ club leader accused of monstrous crimes – regarding his criminal gang’s connection with President Aleksandar Vučić and other politicians from the state leadership, pro-government media outlets launched a campaign against the portal. Unburdened by any need to present evidence, these media outlets criminalised KRIK journalists in their articles and bombastic frontpage headlines, accusing them of conspiring, and thus endangering their safety.
English
02. avg 2021.
New round of attacks by lawmakers accuses critical media outlets of crime, terrorism and endangering the president
Taking a break between debates on laws, members of the Serbian National Assembly always find reasons to attack media outlets that are distinguished for their criticism of the government.
English
02. avg 2021.
Prosecution dealing with 46 attacks on journalists in first half 2021 alone
Prosecutor’s offices in Serbia have established 46 cases on the basis of criminal charges filed in response to attacks against journalists in the first half of 2021 alone, compared to a total of just 56 such cases throughout the whole of 2020.
English
30. jul 2021.
Ugly Twins: a novel type of attacks on local independent media in Serbia
According to the analysis based on sources of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), at least three Serbian local outlets are attacked by fake websites with the likely objective to undermine both the trust in the media and their revenues. As the court claims it cannot react, the new weapon for attacking independent journalists also spreads to Kosovo and North Macedonia.
English
28. jul 2021.
North Macedonia to Toughen Penalties for Attacks on Journalists
Attacks on journalists will now be treated with the same severity as attacks on police officers, North Macedonia’s Justice Ministry said, presenting draft changes it expects parliament to pass in autumn.
English
28. jul 2021.
Balkan Region’s Media Pluralism Stagnated in Pandemic, Report Warns
In a new study encompassing four main areas of risk to media pluralism, North Macedonia scored best out of six Balkan countries included in the analysis, while in several others good legal frameworks remain unenforced in practice.
English
26. jul 2021.
RSF’s recommendations for those who could be spied on by Pegasus
In the wake of the “Pegasus Project” revelation that nearly 200 journalists around the world have been Pegasus spyware targets, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has compiled recommendations for journalists who could themselves be the targets of those who buy this high-performance surveillance software.
English
23. jul 2021.
Hungary: IPI demands inquiry into use of Pegasus spyware against journalists
The IPI global press freedom network today called for an immediate government inquiry into the alleged spyware attacks targeting journalists in Hungary using the Pegasus tool developed by the Israeli cybersecurity company NSO Group.
English
22. jul 2021.
The Pegasus project: What happened and how to protect yourself
More than 180 journalists were discovered in a database of phone numbers designated for potential espionage, thanks to a leak of documents given to the Forbidden Stories journalistic collective and Amnesty International. The choice of targets for surveillance was made by clients of the Israeli company NSO Group, which specialises in the production of spyware that it sells to governments around the world. Its primary product, Pegasus, can compromise a mobile phone, extract all data from it and activate the microphone to record conversations.
English
09. jul 2021.
Dutch crime journalist fighting for life after being shot five times
The International Press Institute (IPI) today expressed horror at the shooting and serious wounding of Dutch journalist Peter R. de Vries in Amsterdam and urged authorities to do all they can to ensure that all those responsible for both carrying out and possibly ordering the hit do not escape impunity.
English
06. jul 2021.
‘The most dangerous situation’: Serbian journalists accused of links to organized crime
In March, when a reporter at Serbian investigative news site KRIK asked President Aleksandar Vučić at a press conference about the government’s alleged links to organized crime, governing party politicians and pro-government media outlets turned the claim back on KRIK.
English
05. jul 2021.
RSF’s 2021 “Press freedom predators” gallery – old tyrants, two women and a European
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is publishing a gallery of grim portraits, those of 37 heads of state or government who crack down massively on press freedom. Some of these “predators of press freedom” have been operating for more than two decades while others have just joined the blacklist, which for the first time includes two women and a European predator.
English
16. jun 2021.
The Forum on Information and Democracy calls for a New Deal for Journalism
As the Covid-19 pandemic undermines journalism at a growing pace, the Forum on Information and Democracy is publishing its recommendations under the title A New Deal for Journalism. The report presents a plan to guarantee up to 0.1% of GDP a year into journalism to safeguard its social function for the future.
English
11. jun 2021.
Two decades of impunity for murder of Serbian journalist Milan Pantić
IPI renews call for justice on 20th anniversary of killing
English
11. jun 2021.
Veran Matić, Chairman of the Commission for investigating the killings of journalists, regarding the murder of journalist Milan Pantić, 20 years later
When I speak about resolving the case of the murdered colleague, journalist Milan Pantić, in this case I find it hard to see the individual as the exclusive executor, and the concrete privatization as a motive for his liquidation. Since 2000s onwards, in all processes of privatization happening in this period of democratic changes, one could see a reflection of the state’s attitude (namely, those of its representatives holding the political power at the time) toward the citizens and society as a whole. Having in mind the predominantly negative undertone of this relation, the question arises whether that particular individual was stronger than the state at the given moment?
Source: Javni servis