The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Serbian authorities to take immediate and effective steps to ensure the safety of journalists covering demonstrations after recent physical attacks on journalists.
“We welcome Serbian authorities’ quick response to recent physical attacks on reporters covering protests and call on them to swiftly bring those responsible to justice,” said Attila Mong, CPJ’s Europe representative. “The environment for journalists in Serbia is increasingly hostile, and effective measures must be taken so journalists can do their jobs without fear of intimidation or violence.”
Journalist Jelena Mirković, with the private news channel N1, was hit in the shoulder, causing minor injuries, and had her microphone struck from her hand while covering a November 27 demonstration, in which protestors hurled insults at her crew. Reporter Aleksandar Cvrkutić’s camera was also struck as he documented the scene.
On November 22, Ana Marković, a reporter with Nova, a private news portal and TV channel, also was physically attacked while covering a demonstration demanding accountability in the fatal Novi Sad railway station roof collapse on November 1, which claimed 15 lives. Marković suffered light injuries as her phone was struck from her hand while reporting.
The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS) said that the number of threats and attacks on journalists has risen in November due to the hostile rhetoric of government and ruling party representatives.
In May, Serbian journalists told CPJ that they have felt increasingly targeted by public officials, pro-government media and its supporters since the country’s populist president, Aleksandar Vučić, scored a sweeping parliamentary victory last December.
A survey in April by IJAS and University of Novi Sad found that 90% of journalists think that authorities have inadequately responded to threats against the press.
CPJ emailed questions to the Serbian Ministry of the Interior, which oversees police, but received no reply.
Source: CPJ