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Threats to the safety of journalists in Serbia: new report

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photo: Shutterstock

Institutional pressures are a form of a threat that most journalists in Serbia often and regularly encounter in their work (46.2%), followed by economic pressures or job insecurity (40.2%). 29.9% of journalists often or regularly encounter the problem of targeting and smear campaigns, and 30.5% reported that they regularly or frequently face verbal threats. SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) were experienced frequently or regularly by 17.1% of journalists. In terms of digital violence, 39.2% of journalists have been victims. More than half of the journalists (53.8%) said they had been in a situation where they did not report on a topic or event one or more times because of the reassure, with women reporting higher instances.

The new Report on safety of journalists in Serbia, prepared with the support of the European Union and Council of Europe, aims to foster the development of relevant policies through identification of invisible pressures such as self-censorship, digital forms of violence and factors that lead to these negative occurrences. The research was conducted in co-operation with the Journalists Association of Serbia and the Independent Journalists Association of Serbia, with 130 journalists and media employees participating in the survey.

The Report aims at a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics between the safety of journalists, and the circumstances in which they perform their role in the media space of Serbia. In digital age, where freedom of expression remains fundamental, it is crucial to acknowledge that unseen pressures like self-censorship and digital violence exert a profound, yet often underestimated, influence on media freedom. Recognising and confronting these covert forces is vital for preserving the integrity of journalism and defending democratic values.

The Report was developed through the action “Protecting freedom of expression and of the media in Serbia (PROFREX)”, implemented by the Council of Europe’s Division for Co-operation on Freedom of Expression, which is part of the joint European Union and the Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”.

 English language version

 Serbian language version

Source: COE

 

CJA condemns the inappropriate behavior of parliamentary representative Veljko Kajtazi towards journalist Hana Gelb.

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Nikola Šolić, HND

The Croatian Journalists’ Association condemns the inappropriate behavior of parliamentary representative Veljko Kajtazi towards Croatian Radiotelevision journalist Hana Gelb.

During filming on International Women’s Day at the Roma Kali Sara Union, the parliamentary representative addressed colleague Gelb in an inappropriate and elevated tone. This incident marks the culmination of his unacceptable behavior towards colleagues from the “Prizma” show, who strive to constructively report on minorities in Croatia, a situation which Representative Kajtazi has been dissatisfied with for years, hence refusing to provide statements to the said program.

Such behavior is unacceptable for anyone, especially for a parliamentary representative, towards anyone, especially towards a woman, particularly a journalist just doing her job. Therefore, the Croatian Journalists’ Association fully supports colleague Hana Gelb, who professionally and honestly performs her duties.

The Croatian Journalists’ Association also calls on the leadership of Croatian Radiotelevision to condemn the behavior of Representative Kajtazi and protect colleague Hana Gelb.

Gordana Škaljac Narančić, President of the CJA Branch at Croatian Radiotelevision

Hrvoje Zovko, President of the Croatian Journalists’ Association

Report says pro-regime tabloids focus attacks on United Group media outlets

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PHOTO: Pixabay.com

The Slavko Curuvija Foundation said on Wednesday that almost 900 attacks by pro-regime tabloids on media critical of the authorities were reported in 2023, most of them against N1, Nova and Danas.

A Foundation press release said that a total of 884 attacks by pro-regime tabloids had been registered last year and added that, according to Press Council data, most of the violations of the Serbian Journalists’ Code were by the Informer, Alo, Srpski Telegraf (its Republika portal), Vecernje Novosti and Kurir.

Those tabloids published 628 stories targeting media or journalists critical of the authorities 884 times, a Foundation report said.

According to the Foundation report, 80 percent of the attacks were on United Group media outlets – 225 attacks on N1 TV and its portal, 220 on Nova TV and its portal and 178 on Danas daily. Those are followed by 21 attacks on Direktno.rs, 8 on Vreme weekly, 4 each on NIN weekly and the KRIK investigative portal, 3 on the BIRN investigative portal and 2 each on KoSSev and Cenzolovka. Radio Free Europe, AL Jazeera, Pescanik, Insajder TV, the Beta news agency, Autonomija and Ozon press were attacked once each.

The report added that pro-regime tabloids also attacked individual journalists, most often Nova TV News Director Slobodan Georgiev and Danas Editor in Chief Dragoljub Draza Petrovic.

It said that the tabloids used a 4-track strategy: defend Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, demonize and dehumanize journalists, label them as traitors or mercenaries, discredit media. The report said that 31 percent of the tabloid stories were identical or almost identical with each of the tabloids claiming the story as its own which, the Foundation said, could mean they got the ready to publish stories from the same source.

Most of the attacks are by the tabloids themselves but some came from public officials: Ana Brnabic (77), Aleksandar Vucic (37), Goran Vesic (14) and some 20 other ruling coalition officials.

Source: N1

Coalition calls for effective implementation as the Parliament adopts the European Media Freedom Act

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photo: canva

The European Parliament today adopted with an overwhelming majority (464 in favour, 92 against, 65 abstentions) the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA).

Media freedom and pluralism along with the rule of law have been in decline in the EU (and beyond) for many years. Where the rule of law is undermined, independent journalism is often the first to suffer. Against this background, our coalition of organisations representing journalists, media freedom and civil society groups, and public service media, congratulate the EU institutions and welcome the EMFA as an important step towards protecting and promoting media freedom and pluralism in the EU.

The EMFA establishes common principles for all Member States so that they can effectively address the threats to a free, independent and vibrant journalism in Europe including, among others, media capture, intrusive surveillance, political interference, declining media pluralism and the unchecked power of social media platforms.

However, we also take this opportunity to remind media stakeholders and public authorities that in certain areas, the EMFA only lays down the very minimum of standards. Member States can, and should, go much further in establishing stronger safeguards to protect media freedom and pluralism and journalists’ rights, in particular from the use of intrusive surveillance and spyware.

We now call on the European Commission, national governments, and independent regulatory authorities to work closely with media stakeholders for the EMFA’s full and effective implementation to help strengthen media freedom and pluralism across the European Union.

To aid this process, some of the undersigned organisations will be preparing, where necessary, assessments and recommendations to help Member States, media and civil society stakeholders with this crucial task.

 

Signed: 

  • ARTICLE 19
  • Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties)
  • International Press Institute (IPI)
  • Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD)
  • Media Diversity Institute (MDI)
  • European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
  • Association of European Journalists (AEJ Belgium)
  • South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO)
  • Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
  • European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
  • Society of Journalists, Warsaw
  • OBC Transeuropa (OBCT)
  • Public Media Alliance (PMA)
  • Community Media Forum Europe (CMFE)
  • Independent Journalism Center, Moldova
  • Institute for Regional Media and Information (IRMI, Ukraine)
  • Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
  • Eurocadres
  • Transparency International EU (TI EU)
  • Committee to Protect Journalists
  • European Broadcasting Union (EBU)

 

Source: EFJ

BH journalists: Cyber security and protection against online attacks are a key challenge for journalists in the Zenica region

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Zenica, 14.3.2024. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, we should demand from the state the construction of a long-term, comprehensive and institutional response to the frequent cyber violence and the increase in online threats to the media and journalists. Appointing contact points in police structures and prosecutor’s offices for better communication with the journalist community and more efficient investigations are only the first step in successfully solving this problem, which has very negative consequences for the work of the media and the entire BiH society. These are just some of the conclusions of the educational training held on Thursday in Zenica, organized by BH journalists and with the participation of journalists and editors from Žepče, Visoko, Tešnj and Zenica.

 

 

Training was organized with the aim of training journalists and media in the local community on the legal framework and protection mechanisms in cases of online threats and attacks, as well as adequate response to the challenges and consequences of this type of violence on the daily work of media professionals, including protection from hacker attacks on media houses.
Nermin Keranović, prosecutor in the Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office of the Canton of Sarajevo and at the same time one of the three prosecutors dealing with cyber crime, recalled the importance of appointing “contact persons” in the Sarajevo Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office in terms of better communication with injured journalists and the media and more effective investigation of specific attacks . He added that they have a certain number of reports from media companies dating back to 2021 and 2022, which this prosecutor’s office is working on solving, while in 2023 the number of hacker attacks was much lower.
“In circumstances where journalists or the media are victims of any criminal offense through an online attack, they have the option, after reporting, directly or through the BiH Journalists Association (BHJA), to inform the contact person that a criminal offense has been committed, and then within the prosecutor’s office itself to start an information system and start an investigation”, said Keranović.
He added that all criminal acts committed against journalists and the media are treated as priorities in the prosecution, and the supervision of the chief cantonal prosecutor in Sarajevo Canton has been established over them. Keranović also believes that journalists and media outlets themselves should be aware of the dangers of cyber attacks and all forms of digital threats.
“Journalists and the media themselves need to take certain steps for self-protection, that is, to maintain their own security of communication channels and to be very careful when using all social networks. Knowledge of minimum security measures, which include the use of strong and unique passwords, double identification, as well as the use of reliable VPN services when accessing the Internet, especially in public places, are basic tools for basic and preventive protection,” prosecutor Keranović concluded.
The police are obliged to provide maximum security to the members of the journalistic community when publishing journalistic assignments, said Aldina Alić from the Police Administration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Zenica-Doboj Canton (ZDK) and added that in order for the police to react, it is necessary that each case needs to be reported in a timely manner.
“After the report, the police act, first establishing the existence of the elements of a criminal offense or misdemeanor. Not every bad word sent is a criminal offense on social networks, and I especially emphasize that so that citizens know. We also need inter-institutional cooperation, that is, work on improving the institutional response to cases of endangering the safety of journalists and increasing sensitivity towards the protection of journalists of all structures and mechanisms within the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Zenica-Doboj Canton,” said Alić.
She assessed the appointment of “contact points” in the Ministry of Internal Affairs as a positive step – in terms of increasing efficiency in investigations of cyber and other online attacks on the media and journalists, and announced new measures to be taken by the Ministry of Internal Affairs – in Zenica – Doboj Canton, which relate to on the creation of their own database and monitoring of various cases, as well as the education of police officers in order to expand their knowledge regarding investigations and treatment of journalists and the media as victims of attacks and threats.
Velida Kulenović, vice-president of BHJA and president of the BHN Club of Journalists of ZDK emphasizes the importance of trainings and educations like this.
“The trainings started by BHJA are of great benefit to journalists as well as the media. I hope that as many journalists as possible, especially young ones, will have the opportunity to attend them. The Helpline operating within BH journalists recorded 35 reports, of which 24 were reports of cyber attacks on journalists and the media. Education on data collection in the case of digital protection processing is extremely important for the media community,” concluded Kulenović.
Educational training was organized as part of USAID’s Independent Media Support Program (MEA) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is implemented by Internews in partnership with the organization FHI360 and local partners.
The organization of the training and the publication of this report were made possible thanks to the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The content is the sole responsibility of the BH Journalists Association and does not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the US Government.

 

HND to members of the parliament: Reject LEX AP – Law of Dangerous Intentions

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We appeal once again to the members of the parliament to reject the Law of Dangerous Intentions, which is an attack on the profession, journalists, media, whistleblowers, and the public. If this shameful law is adopted, the Croatian Journalists’ Association (CJA) will continue to fight against LEX AP and against arrogant Croatian politicians, said ahead of the vote in the Croatian Parliament on amendments to the Criminal Code at a press conference of the Croatian Journalists’ Association, where CJA President Hrvoje Zovko and Vice President Chiara Bilić spoke.

Zovko also warned and condemned yesterday’s scandalous and shameful behavior of Prime Minister Plenković towards N1 television journalist Mira Moralić, emphasizing that such a mode of communication is unacceptable, especially considering the role that Moralić holds. “The only sensible thing Andrej Plenković can do is apologize to journalist, but unfortunately, given his ego and past behavior, I don’t think that will happen,” said Zovko.

The President of CJA emphasized that Plenković doesn’t hesitate from emotional blackmail and attempts to rush everything to conclusion so that the Law passes at the last moment, just before the dissolution of the Parliament. “CJA rejects LEX AP and calls on all colleagues to continue their work in the public interest to prevent plunder and lawlessness being enforced,” said Zovko, reminding that if this law were in force, journalists who published the correspondence of Turudić – Rimac (Pleslić), would already be under investigation and would be harassed.

Zovko added that it is frightening that none of the ruling officials denied that our colleagues would have their laptops, phones confiscated, and their private correspondence investigated under the new provisions of the infamous Article 307. “Therefore, cja will be available at all times to anyone who may be affected by this shameful law, and all possible assistance will be provided to them,” said Zovko, who added that Plenković, with his behavior and actions, increasingly resembles the two main autocrats in Europe, Vučić and Orbán.

cja Vice President Chiara Bilić added that it is obvious that the Prime Minister intends to control the Croatian media. “It has become his obsession, especially in the last four years, when he suggests and repeats to journalists what should be the topic and what should not. He thinks he can tell journalists what and how to write, and when journalists ask him specific questions, he attacks them, as was the case with colleague Moralić,” said Bilić, who also commented on the shameful behavior of Plenković’s office at yesterday’s conference, where microphones were set up like skittles. “This is unacceptable and an attack on journalistic tools. Where does he get the right for that?” Bilić asked, adding that Plenković has been targeting journalists for years, and LEX AP is a result of such behavior of the authorities towards journalists and the public.

Responding to a question about threats to journalists, Zovko said that CJA has close to a hundred documented threats or physical attacks on journalists in its records, and they face threats via emails or social media daily, which are the sources of such attacks against journalists, for which the political leadership is responsible for their attitude and behavior towards journalists and media.

“We warn Plenković that if anything bad happens to journalists, we will hold him directly responsible for such a situation, as he cannot be absolved of it,” Zovko said, stating that it is incredible that even after more than three decades, politicians do not understand or do not want to know what the job of journalists and media is in democratic societies.

Zovko finally reminded of CJA’s open letter to Croatian citizens about the dangers posed by amendments to the Penal Code. The letter was co-signed by 18 major media outlets, and some other outlets have since joined with their signatures. All other editorial boards are also called upon to lend their support and join the fight against LEX AP, which directly threatens media freedom.

N1 correspondent threatened over protest report

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Slika: N1

Threats were made against N1’s Novi Sad correspondent over a report from a protest in that city.

Correspondent Ksenija Pavkov reported on a protest called over the disputed removal of three children from their home. The mother claims the removal of her children by the Social Services Center was illegal and denies any neglect of the children which was cited as the reason to take away her children. The N1 correspondent said in her report that some pro-regime tabloid reporters were attacked by the crowd and added that many of them believe the children were taken away as part of a plan to give them up for adoption for money outside the country. That part of her report drew anger on social media.

Posts on Telegram called N1 pro-Ustashe (WW 2 Croatian fascists allied with the Nazis) and called for harassment of its staff along with a number of other offensive comments. The posts also accused N1 and its correspondent of trying to present the protest organizers as conspiracy theorists.

N1 reported the threats to the authorities.

Pavkov told the Cenzolovka website that, given the sensitivity of this topic, she paid particular attention to making sure the report was balanced.

“I assessed that the public was insufficiently informed about this case and that this is why the context needed to be explained: who are the people who supported and organized the protest, what it is they hold against the Social Services Center. Specifically, they believe this case is part of an international conspiracy to abduct children, which is why they brought a criminal complaint against the Center during the rally I reported from. I also reported on the Center’s official position, but also allowed for the possibility that in this particular case this institution actually did make mistakes,” Pavkov told Cenzolovka.

Source: N1

Open letter from CJA to citizens about the dangers of amendments to the Criminal code

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Before the decision of the Croatian Parliament on amendments to the Criminal Code introducing a new criminal offense of unauthorized disclosure of the content of investigative or evidentiary actions, the Croatian Journalists’ Association addressed the following open letter to the citizens of Croatia, co-signed by 18 media outlets:

The Croatian Journalists’ Association (CJA) addresses all citizens of the Republic of Croatia with an open letter once again warning of the harmfulness of adopting amendments to the Criminal Code – known as the “Lex AP” – for media freedom and the public’s right to be informed, which the Government of the Republic of Croatia has submitted to the Croatian Parliament for adoption.

Article 307.a of the Criminal Code “Unauthorized Disclosure of Content of Investigative or Evidentiary Action” is unacceptable to the HND, and we demand its withdrawal.

The public must know that the introduction of such a legal solution is an attack on the journalistic profession and public interest, and an open assault on whistleblowers.

If such a Criminal Code were currently in force, our colleagues who have been publishing the content of messages exchanged between a former state secretary and the elected chief state prosecutor for days would have been questioned several times already in informational interviews.

If such a Criminal Code were in force, the Croatian public would have been deprived of a whole series of scandals uncovered by our colleagues, which citizens must know about.

Although the proposer, as a guarantee to journalists that they will not be subjected to repression, included public interest as a reason for excluding unlawfulness in the legislative proposal and explicitly excluded journalists as possible perpetrators, instigators, or accomplices in the act of unauthorized disclosure of the content of investigative or evidentiary actions, this is not the case.

The CJA warns citizens of the worrying fact that our colleagues may have their mobile phones, laptops, and archives confiscated, as well as their emails intercepted. Their homes and apartments can be searched. As part of investigative actions, the prosecutor or police officer can call a journalist for an informational interview, not once, but as many times as they deem necessary. They can obtain lists of their telephone contacts, call colleagues and editors for interviews.

In the case of such a criminal offense, the aim of the investigation is to uncover the perpetrator, i.e., the person who made information of public interest available to journalists, and the journalist who published the story will be the starting point for investigators.

Such actions will result in every potential whistleblower carefully considering before approaching a journalist if they know that the police and prosecutors will search their contacts and collaborators. If this happens, we will all be deprived of key information, and the CJA is obliged to warn the public about it again.

The CJA calls on all colleagues to continue publishing stories of public interest professionally, as they have done so far. The CJA will provide concrete assistance to anyone who comes under attack from this law.

For the Croatian Journalists’ Association,

Hrvoje Zovko, President

Chiara Bilić, Vice President

Dragutin Hedl, Vice President

The letter is co-signed by:

Dražen Klarić, Editor-in-Chief of Večernji list

Goran Ogurlić, Editor-in-Chief of Jutarnji list

Ivan Buča, Editor-in-Chief of 24sata

Jelena Valentić, Editor-in-Chief of Telegram.hr

Sandra Lapenda Lemo, Editor-in-Chief of Slobodna Dalmacija

Andrea Radak, Editor-in-Chief of Novosti

Berislav Jelinić, Editor-in-Chief of Nacional

Zdravko Milinović, Editor-in-Chief of Globus

Igor Alborghetti, Editor-in-Chief of Express

Tihomir Ladišić, N1 Croatia

Silvija Šeparović, Editor-in-Chief of Yammat FM

Ines Brajević, Editor-in-Chief of Dalmatinski portal

Dražen Majić, Editor-in-Chief of Istra24

Željka Gavranović, Editor-in-Chief of PlusPortal

Ivor Fuka, Editor-in-Chief of Lupiga

Davorka Blažević, Editor-in-Chief of Tris

Vedran Gvožđak, Editor-in-Chief of KAportal

Goran Gazdek, Editor-in-Chief of Virovitica.net

Šarčević case – The right to life and to freedom of expression have no alternative

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PHOTO: N1 BiH

Press release from a section of the membership of the P.E.N. Center of Bosnia and Herzegovina

We, the undersigned members of the PEN Center of Bosnia and Herzegovina, unconditionally condemn the attacks on Franja Šarčević, assistant professor at the Faculty of Science and Mathematics in Sarajevo and editor of the Prometej.ba portal. In the attacks on him, through the media and social networks, and even by the holders of electoral positions, hatred, persecution and physical confrontation with Šarčević were openly invoked.

We demand that the competent authorities determine the degree and type of responsibility from the domain of criminal and misdemeanor legislation in the specific case. We ask the competent authorities to investigate and sanction all cases of violations of the law and the code of the media and the journalistic profession in the context of the position of BH Journalists Association , which requested an immediate investigation and sanctioning media in this case, which was joined by other professional journalist associations from the region, which operate within the SafeJournalists network. (https://safejournalists.net/portfolios/safejournalists-hitno-istraziti-i-sankcionirati-pretnje-udreniku-portala-prometei-u-bosni-i-hercegovini/?lang=hr).

We call on all power holders to use the position they hold and the political power they have to condemn such behavior, stop it and do everything to prevent possible new cases, and those who are directly involved in such actions to exclude themselves and stop such practice. Attack on our colleague Sarčević is not the only one nor is lonely case. It has become established as normal behavior and completely permissible. The authorities at all levels must be aware that they are responsible to the people and that they should and MUST be exposed to the criticism of public opinion. Such practices and behaviors, especially when it comes to cases where power holders commit, encourage, approve, and/or cover up such behaviors, must be stopped and sanctioned. We, the undersigned members of the PEN Center of Bosnia and Herzegovina, stand behind this announcement. , signed with their first and last name.

We believe that we have every human and professional obligation to react and protect in all cases when someone’s fundamental rights are threatened, including in this one. We believe that it will not happen soon, mazbe not at all, that “a dead head will fall” so that then we will have a case on which we will be able to agree unanimously, appealing in vain post festum and post mortem for the protection of the right to life and freedom of speech and expression.

We are of the opinion that every citizen of this country has the right and obligation to criticize everything that is wrong in the country and not exclusively within their own ethno-national corpus. The practice according to which only “one’s own” can criticize “one’s own” must be stopped and must not be the cause and reason that targets are drawn on the back and nooses are put around the neck of those who peek “into another’s yard”. Sarajevo, 9.3.2024.

Ramiz Huremagić,

Stipe Odak,

Dragan Bursać,

Selma Raljević,

Mihaela Šumić,

Tanja Stupar Trifunović,

Branislav Mikulić,

Enver Kazaz,

Ivan Radeljković,

Alida Bremer,

Sanja Šoštarić,

Jasmin Duraković,

Šuhreta Šura Dumanić,

Tijana Okić,

Almin Kaplan,

Darija Žilić,

Fedor Marjanović,

Selvedin Avdić,

Nenad Rizvanović,

Danijela Majstorović,

Lana Bastašić,

Nerzuk Ćurak,

Emina Žuna,

Almir Alić,

Nidžara Ahmetašević,

Antonije Nino Žalica,

Asmir Kujović,

Lamija Begagić,

Elvedin Nezirović,

Lejla Kalamujić,

Faiz Softić,

Goran Simić.

Cource: P.E.N. Centar u BiH

PHOTO: N1 BiH