IJAS and IJAV: Campaign against independent journalists and media

26/01/2018

BELGRADE, 26.01.2018. – The Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia and the Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina strongly condemn the dirty, continuous campaign that the pro-media media conducts against Tamara Skrozza, journalist of Vreme weekly and a member of the Press Council Complaints Committee and other journalists and the media.

It is especially indicative that attacks on “unsuitable” journalists and almost open calls for lynching escalated immediately after the international delegation, composed of the representatives of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the International Press Institute (IPI) and the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) that visited Belgrade to establish the real state of media freedom and safety of journalists.
NUNS and NDNV believe that the schizophrenic reaction against journalists was due to findings of an international mission that the state of media freedom in Serbia is very bad. Particularly worrying is the fact that attacks were frequent despite Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s promise to members of the international mission “to defend the freedom of the media without conditions”.

At the end of the visit to Belgrade, Mogens Blicher Bjerregård , president of EFJ, stated that there are many pressures and threats against journalists in Serbia, and that President Vucic must support the freedom of the media before it is too late.

At pro-government tabloid television with national frequency, TV PINK, Dragan Vucicevic, the editor-in-chief of the pro-government tabloid Informer, yesterday accused the journalist Tamara Skrozza and the Vreme weekly of creating an atmosphere of chaos before the upcoming Belgrade Assembly elections just so they could claim election theft after, and that they work in the interest of Miroslav Miskovic, a businessman. The use of Skrozza’s half sentences stated in a satirical show taken out of context, in TV Pink recognizable professional manner, targeted a respected journalist as an archenemy of Aleksander Vucic.

In the same TV programme, Vucicevic stated a lie that the editor-in-chief of the Beta agency, Dragan Janjic, openly accused Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic of murdering Oliver Ivanovic, local Kosovo politician of Serbian nationality shot on 16.01.2017 in Kosovska Mitrovica. We remind the public that such false accusations were the reason for the still on-going 9 days long horrendous campaign against Dragan Janjić on social networks calling for his expulsion from Serbia and murder.

Predrag Sarapa and Vucicevic, the hosts of the TV PINK show, insulted the president of the NUNS, Slavisa Lekic, and disparaged the daily newspaper Danas calling it a “CIA daily”. Vucicevic accused CRTA and other non-governmental organizations of being mercenaries of the US Embassy, USAID, and the US businessmen Rockefeller and Soros and, using the most primitive rhetoric mocked the opposition party leaders and other prominent public figures, known for their critical views about the current government.

For two days on the Informer website and other far right websites, a real persecution is taking place against Una Hajdari, journalist from Kosovo and an associate of the international organization Reporters Without Borders, because of her humorous tweet from the President of Serbia press conference during his visit to northern Kosovo. Hajdari’s photograph was published and she was called a ‘hater of all that’s Serbian and Vucic’. As soon as this enflaming article was published, Hajdari received insults and serious threats through social networks.

A good or bad journalist one can be in a big city and in a small town

TUMM

26/01/2018

KOLAŠIN, 26.01.2018 – These days a lot has been said about the poor position of journalists in Montenegro. Correspondents, besides those problem that they share with their colleagues from newsrooms, have a few more. Without an office, support of colleagues “when things go wrong”, without working hours, the experience of a teamwork, mostly without timely compliments and criticism from the superiors, without additional education…

“Why would anyone, if he/she doesn’t have to, be a journalist in Kolašin?” asked my friend recently. He is neither the first nor the last one interested in whether I could choose a “better, less disapproving” and “more paid” profession. I do not know if I could do anything else, but, I swear, I chose to be a journalist and “I did not lift a finger” to try to report from a bigger town.

With a few of those who chose the same or did not have any other option, I marked unofficially Day of Journalist in Kolašin. We ignored successfully personal differences and the differences of newsrooms we work for, but it remains unclear whether in those half an hour of socializing we thought really about each other, and about ourselves, as “true” journalists. Journalists working in small towns have never successfully overcome inferiority complex. Accordingly that is how, compliments to exceptions, correspondents are treated as well in their newsrooms. Example that illustrates this is the situation which happened a few years ago when one of “media wolves” downgraded other “giving” him “the workplace of the correspondent from Šavnik”. Even when this is not the case, no matter how important local topics we dealt with, at one point we are defeated by the fact that “everything important happens in Podgorica” or “downhearted” by a small number of story views, in which we invested many days, a lot of effort and because of which we gained everlasting enemies in our closest environment. Eventually, we begin to torture ourselves with “awareness” that “great” stories are accidental in provinces, and that we are important to our newsroom as much as we have space on the front page.

These days a lot has been said about the poor position of journalists in Montenegro. Correspondents, besides those problem that they share with their colleagues from newsrooms, have a few more. Without an office, support of colleagues “when things go wrong”, without working hours, the experience of a teamwork, mostly without timely compliments and criticism from the superiors, without additional education… In addition, the effort to find, in any aspect dying environment, which has less inhabitants than a suburb of the capital, a topic every day. Reporting from a small place entails a lot of issues that journalists from big cities do not endure; among other, it means meeting at least once a day in the street, in a café, in someone’s house … a person that you mentioned in the article the previous day, a person that you criticized, whose misuses you uncovered…

It means, in places with several thousand inhabitants, that you will often write about a cousin, a friend of a friend, godfather’s brother, your neighbor, someone than has helped you once or who hurt you. Being a correspondent from a small town means that instead of writing responses or denials, those who do not like your writing will “feel free” to stop you on the street and tell you their objections, without choosing words. It means, of course, that you will endure for a long time consequences, hostility and revenge of everyone you have made angry. After years of such writing, there is only a small number of those you warmly greet, and only a small number of those who are able to separate personal and professional issues. It’s hard and uncomfortable, in a place in which by the rule one should live “not offending anyone”, and in which every criticism is whispered and under the code ”You did not hear it from me”, to sign the truth with name and surname. At the top of it, if you receive a salary lower than the average at the state level, then, really, why would do that if you are not forced or you cannot do anything else?

Here is the answer to a friend who asked that question quoted at the beginning, but also a reminder to myself and fellow correspondents from this less fortunate part of Montenegro. A good or bad journalist one can be in a big city and in Šavnik, Andrijevica, Plav, Kolašin…A bad and good person, too. Journalists’ Code, can be consistently respected or ignored anywhere. “Great” and “small” journalistic stories are measured, in addition to number of readers, by changes for the better that followed them and with how much responsibility they are written. Yes, fellow correspondents, we are “real” and “great” journalists, as much as we successfully search for the truth, even when we write about an open pit in neighborhood of our town.

Zaustaviti prijetnje Draganu Janjiću

CJA

25/01/2018

BEOGRAD, 25.01.2018. – Regionalna platforma za zagovaranje medijskih sloboda i sigurnosti novinara koja predstavlja više od 7.800 novinara, najoštrije osuđuje ozbiljne prijetnje i poruke mržnje upućene glavnom uredniku novinske agencije Beta i potpredsjedniku Nezavisnog udruženja novinara Srbije Draganu Janjiću.

Od 16. siječnja 2018., s Facebook stranice Srbija naša zemlja Draganu Janjiću stiglo je više od 300 komentara s različitim uvredama, ali i direktne prijetnje smrću – “Na Kalemegdan pa metak u čelo”, “Objesiti ga na trgu” i slično. Imajući u vidu da se na stranici traže, a potom i nude podaci o njegovoj adresi stanovanja, Regionalna platforma smatra da je sigurnost Dragana Janjića direktno ugrožena. Prema informacijama Nezavisnog udruženja novinara Srbije, hajka je pokrenuta sponzoriranim postom što ukazuje da se radi o organiziranoj kampanji protiv Janjića.

“Na konferenciji za novinare povodom ubojstva Olivera Ivanovića, srpskog političara s Kosova, predsjednik Srbije Aleksandar Vučić je direktno prozvao Janjića i tako indirektno ohrabrio ovu jezivu kampanju protiv njega”, izjavio je Slaviša Lekić, predsjednik NUNS-a. Lekić objašnjava: “Janjiću, jednom od najuglednijih novinara u Srbiji je zbog izraženog mišljenja na Twitteru da su ‘počele likvidacije političkih protivnika’ direktno prijećeno prebijanjem, čak i ubojstvom pri čemu je javno nuđena informacija o tome gdje živi. Očekujem od tužilaštva da reagira odmah i spriječi dalje ugrožavanje njegove sigurnosti.“

Regionalna platforma zahtijeva od nadležnih organa Republike Srbije da odmah poduzmu sve zakonom predviđene mjere protiv pojedinaca koji putem društvenih mreža otvoreno pozivaju na linč Dragana Janjića. Od najviših predstavnika vlasti Republike Srbije se traži da javno i nedvosmisleno osude prijetnje i poruke mržnje prema Janjiću.

Regionalna platforma podržava Nezavisno udruženje novinara Srbije i njegove napore da zaštiti novinare i slobodu govora. Istovremeno, pozivamo međunarodne organizacije da izvrše dodatni pritisak na vlasti u Srbiji da poštuju slobodu izražavanja i slobodu medija i da osiguraju sigurnost novinara.

Platforma također podržava sve neformalne inicijative novinara koje osuđuju prijetnje i iskazano neprijateljstvo prema Draganu Janjiću.

U Srbiji je tijekom 2017. godine registrirano 32 incidenta, od kojih je 6 fizičkih napada na novinare, 22 prijetnje, 2 napada na imovinu kao i po jedan slučaj nadzora i diskriminacije.

Svaki napad na novinare je napad na javni interes, demokraciju i prava svih građana.

Sarajevo – Podgorica – Zagreb – Priština – Skoplje – Beograd, 24.01.2018.

Udruženje/udruga BiH novinari
Sindikat medija Crne Gore
Hrvatsko novinarsko društvo
Udruženje novinara Kosova
Udruženje novinara Makedonije
Nezavisno udruženje novinara Srbije

Serbia must respect media independence – MEP

IJAS

25/01/2018

BELGRADE, 25.01.2018. – European Parliament Rapporteur for Serbia David McAllister says Serbia needs to make clear progress in respecting the independence of the media.

He added that Serbia should deal more seriously with the threats and attacks on journalists, and create a favorable environment for a pluralistic media landscape.

McCallister told Thursday’s edition of the newspaper Danas that it was important to increase efforts, in particular with regard to judicial reform, the fight against corruption, and for basic rights and protection of minorities.

“There is a need to maintain and foster a space for political dialogue, critical discussion and debate, as well as the expression of conflicting opinions,” McAllister said, when asked about the tasks facing Serbian officials when it comes to (EU accession negotiations) Chapter 23.

The German member of European parliament (MEP) also said it was necessary to provide more effective supervision in the field of the fight against corruption, adding that the Law on the Anti-Corruption Agency and the new law on financing of political parties should be adopted in a timely manner.

“A database on investigations, prosecutions, indictments and final judgments, including those relating to cases of high-level corruption, should be gradually strengthened,” McAllister said.

Mekalister: Srbiji potreban jasan napredak u vezi sa poštovanjem nezavisnosti medija

IJAS

25/01/2018

BEOGRAD, 25.01.2018. – Izvestilac Evropskog parlamenta za Srbiju Dejvid Mekalister izjavio je da je Srbiji potreban jasan napredak u vezi sa poštovanjem nezavisnosti medija, hvatanje ukoštac sa pretnjama i napadima na novinare, kao i uspostavljanje pogodnog okruženja za pluralistički medijski pejzaž. Mekalister je za list “Danas” od četvrtka kazao da je važno povećati napore, naročito u vezi sa reformom pravosudja, borbom protiv korupcije, osnovnih prava i zaštite manjina.

“Postoji potreba da se održi i neguje prostor za politički dijalog, kritičku diskusiju i debatu, kao i izražavanje sučeljenih mišljenja”, kazao je Mekalister odgovarajući na pitanje o zadacima koji su pred srpskim zvaničnicima kada je reč o Poglavlju 23.

Mekalister je naveo da je potrebno obezbediti delotvorniji nadzor u oblasti borbe protiv korupcije, dodajući da treba blagovremeno usvojiti Zakon o Agenciji za borbu protiv korupcije i novi zakon o finansiranju političkih stranaka.

“Treba postepeno jačati bazu podataka koja se odnosi na istrage, krivična gonjenja, optužnice i konačne presude, uključujući one koje se odnose na slučajeve visoke korupcije”.

Misija za utvrđivanje činjenica u Srbiji o medijskoj slobodi i bezbednosti novinara

IJAS

25/01/2018

BRISEL, 25.01.2018. – Nakon zabrinutosti o stanju medijskih sloboda u Srbiji koje su iskazale i sprske novinarske i medijske organizacije kao i međunarodne organizacije i institucije, Srbiju je 18. i 19. januara 2018. posetila zajednička međunarodna misija za utvrđivanje činjenica, sastavljena od predstavnika Evropske federacije novinara (EFJ), Međunarodnog instituta za štampu (IPI) i Medijske organizacije za jugoistočnu Evropu (SEEMO).

Zajednička misija se sastala i razgovarala s velikim brojem zainteresovanih strana, uključujući novinare i urednike iz širokog spektra štampanih, radiodifuznih i elektronskih medija, akademicima i akterima civilnog društva, i zvaničnicima srpske vlade, pre svega Predsednikom Aleksandrom Vučićem.

Misija, koja je privukla značajnu pažnju medija i zvaničnika, otkrila je niz suštinskih izazova za promovisanje slobodnog, nezavisnog i pluralističkog medijskog okruženja u Srbiji.

U očekivanju sveobuhvatnijeg izveštaja misije, predstavnici misije daju sledeće početne preporuke:

1. Bezbednost

Svi organi treba ozbiljno da uzmu slučajeve nasilja i uznemiravanja, prijavljenih od strane novinara, i odmah reaguju naglašavajući potrebu za brzim rešavanjem ovakvih slučajeva na osnovu efikasne i nezavisne istrage. Vlada Srbije mora da preduzme napore za rešavanje ranijih slučajeva nasilja nad novinarima, što je važno ne samo za novinare, koji su bili meta u tim slučajevima, i njihove porodice nego i za borbu protiv nekažnjivosti. U principu, snažno preporučujemo zvaničnicima na svim nivoima vlade Srbije da pošalju jasan signal – bez ikakvih uslova – kojim osuđuju sve napade na novinare.

2. Državni angažman sa medijima

Brojni novinari i urednici, s kojima je misija razgovarala, izrazili su zabrinutost za ono što su opisali kao sve teže okruženje za kritičko novinarstvo, koje delom podstiču posebno neprijateljske zvanične reakcije na kritičko i istraživačko novinarstvo. Zvaničnici srpske vlade na svim nivoima moraju da se uzdrže od akcija, uključujući i verbalno uznemiravanje, koje imaju efekat delegitimacije kritičkih novinara i njihovog rada. Zvaničnici moraju da pošalju jasne signale da novinari imaju pravo da istražuju aktivnosti onih koji su na vlasti.

Srpski zvaničnici na svim nivoima moraju da pokažu poštovanje za medijski pluralizam i medijsku nezavisnost. Zvaničnici treba da usvoje nediskriminatorni pristup interakciji s medijima, angažujući se sa svim medijima na jednakim osnovama. Programi za javno finansiranje medija – posebno na lokalnom nivou – moraju da se obavljaju transparentno i nezavisno i u skladu sa utvrđenim kriterijumima.

3. Medijska strategija

Pozivamo Ministarstvo kulture da osigura da se javna rasprava o novoj Medijskoj strategiji odvija na transparentan i vidljiv način i van mreže i na njoj, kao i širom zemlje. Mora se ostaviti dovoljno vremena kako bi se obezbedila rasprava o predlogu i mora postojati odgovarajući poziv za intervencije i amandmane, kao i za ozbiljno razmatranje takvih intervencija i amandmana. Stavovi onih koji su napustili Radnu grupu moraju da se priznaju.

4. Društveni dijalog

Po mišljenju EFJ, pristojni uslovi rada, ostvareni kroz kolektivne ugovore, preduslov su obavljanja novinarskog rada. U tom smislu, EFJ poziva na poboljšanja u oblasti društvenog dijaloga ili na njegovo uvođenje tamo gde on nedostaje. EFJ navodi da postoji ogromna potreba za izgradnju infrastrukture sa fulkcionalnim organizacijama i institucijama, koju treba da podržava program izgradnje kapaciteta.

5. Pristup informacijama

Državni organi moraju da poštuju pravo novianara na pristup javnim informacijama i moraju blagovremeno da reaguju na takve zahteve. Dugo čekanje na dokumente ima ozbiljan negativan uticaj na novinarski rad u praksi.

6. Ombudsman

Preporučujemo klasifikovanje novinarstva i medija kao posebnog pitanja za insitituciju nacionalnog Ombusmana – nezavisnog državnog tela čiji je zadatak promovisanje i zaštita prava građana – kako bi mu se omogućilo da se uspešnije bavi žalbama i problemima u vezi s novinarstvom i medijima.

7. Definicija novinara

Kako se ne bi ograničavala sloboda štampe i kako bi se podržala zaštita izvora, zajednička misija upozorava i medijske zainteresovane strane i vlasti protiv uvođenja posebne definicije ko je novinar sužavanjem sadašnjeg razumevanja.

8. Radna grupa o bezbednosti

Međunarodna misija smatra da je formiranje radne grupe o bezbednosti novinara važan signal namera Srbije da se ozbiljno bavi problemom bezbednosti. U svetlu ovog, pozivamo članove grupe – predstavnike medija, policije i javnog tužilaštva – da započnu dijalog s ciljem revitalizacije ovog važnog napora, ako je potrebno uz podršku nezavisnog moderatora. Uzajamno razumevanje je od ključnog značaja za ostvarivanje konkretnog napretka.

9. Savet za štampu

Pozivamo sve medije i novinare da se pridruže Etičkom kodeksu novinarstva Srbije i da poštuju samoregulatorno telo Savet za štampu, uključujući i Žalbenu komisiju Saveta i da objavljuju odluke Saveta u skladu sa svojim propisima. Smatramo da je Savet za štampu instrument od ključne važnosti za uzdizanje etičkih i profesionalnih standrada novinasrtva u Srbiji. Nacionalne i međunarodne institucije treba da pruže punu podršku ovom telu.

Apelujemo na sve medije, medijska udruženja i novinare u Srbiji da poštuju u svakom trenutku profesionalne i etičke standarde u svom radu i svakodnevnoj komunikaciji.

Naš je stav da će ispunjavanje ovih preporuka, koje su zajedničke ukoliko nije drugačije naznačeno, doprineti boljem okruženju za novinarstvo u Srbiji, u kojem novinari mogu da obavljaju svoj posao – uključujući i istrage o aktivnostima onih koji su na vlasti – bez uznemiravanja, napada, pretnji i kampanja ocrnjivanja.

Naglašavamo, takođe, da demokratija cveta onda kada i slobodno i nezavsino novinarstvo napreduje.

Skot Grifen Mogens Bliher Bjeregord Oliver Vujović

IPI EFJ SEEMO

Journalists devoted to professional reporting on gender-based violence

BHJA

25/01/2018

SARAJEVO, 25.01.2018. – A Roster of media professionals devoted to raising public awareness of gender-based violence, through the application of professional standards in reporting on this social problem, was formed today in Sarajevo.

The Roster gathered 30 journalists of public and private media from Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Doboj Jug, Milic, Doboj, Brcko, Zenica, Sokolac, Pala, Sanski Most, Bugojno, Mostar, Bihac, Bijeljina and Livno and to sign a joint Declaration on objective, ethical and professional reporting on gender-based violence

Rosters is formed ad a result of activities and campaigns supported by UN Women’s Office in BiH. “We are trying to help the authorities in BiH to fulfill their international obligations deriving from the Istanbul Convention and other international acts. These are the standards according to which the authorities have an obligation to constantly repress all forms of violence,” said the UN Women Officer in BiH, David Saunders, adding that Roster represents a great opportunity to publicly contribute to the very process of violence prevention.

Fatima Bećirović from the Gender Center of FBiH presented some of the experiences and observations regarding gender-based violence from the perspective of the institution she represents. “A system of support for survivors is not uniform throughout BiH. Every victim of violence should have equal access to protection throughout the country, and every perpetrator of violence must be adequately sanctioned, “said Bećirović.

The participants in today’s discussion highlighted the need to update this social problem in local communities through reporting of local media, as well as addressing the problem from different perspectives. It is also said that there is an important continuity in media reporting on cases of violence and how these stories should be monitored from start to finish and avoid daily-sensationalist reporting.

The meeting was held within the framework of the project “Disarming violence – Media against violence against women” implemented by the BH Journalists Association with the support of UN Women’s Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Swedish International Development and Cooperation Agency (SIDA).

ДА СОПРАТ ЗАКАНИТЕ КОН ДРАГАН ЈАЊИЌ

AJM

25/01/2018

Регионалната платформа на Западен Балкан за застапување за слободата на медиумите и безбедноста на новинарите, која застапува повеќе од 7800 членови, остро ги осудува сериозните закани и говорот на омраза кои беа насочени кон главниот уредник на новинската агенција Бета, Драган Јањик, кој воедно е и заменик претседателот на Независното здружение на новинари во Србија Драган Јањиќ.

Од 16 јануари 2018 година, од Фејсбук страницата на Србија НАШАТА земја (Serbia OUR country), Драган Јањиќ доби повеќе од 300 коментари со разни навреди, но и директни смртни закани – “(однесете го) на Калемегдан и ставете му куршум во чело”, “обесете го на плоштад” и слично. Имајќи предвид дека на истата страница им беше понудена (но не и објавена) неговата адреса на оние кои ја побараа, Регионалната платформа смета дека безбедноста на Драган Јањиќ е директно загрозена. Според Здружението на независни новинари на Србија, прогонот започнал со еден спонзориран пост, што укажува на тоа дека се работи за организирана кампања.

„На прес-конференцијата за атентатот на Оливер Ивановиќ, кој беше локален српски политичар во Косово, претседателот на Србија Александар Вучиќ директно го именуваше Јањиќ и индиректно ја охрабри и поддржа оваа кампања против него”, рече Славиша Лекиќ, претседател на НУНС. Лекиќ истакна: „Јањиќ, еден од најреномираните новинари во Србија, поради изразено мислење на Твитер дека „започна ликвидацијата на политичките противници”, доби директни закани за физичко насилство, па дури и за негово убиство. Неговата адреса беше јавно достапна. Очекувам обвинителството веднаш да реагира и да спречи понатамошни закани за безбедноста на Јањиќ”.

Регионалната платформа бара од соодветните авторитети на Република Србија итно да ги преземе сите правни мерки против индивидуалците кои, преку социјалните мрежи, отворено повикуваат на линч на Драган Јањиќ. Исто така, Платформата ги повикува највисоките јавни функционери од Република Србија јавно да ги осудат заканите и пораките со говор на омраза насочени против Јањиќ.

Регионалната платформа го поддржува НУНС во напорите да ја заштити слободата на говорот. Истовремено, ги повикуваме меѓународните организации да извршат дополнителен притисок врз српските власти, со цел да почнат да ги почитуваат слободата на говорот и слободата на медиумите и да обезбедат безбедни услови за работа на новинарите.

Во 2017 година Србија регистрираше 32 инциденти, 6 физички напади, 22 вербални закани, 2 напади на имотот, еден случај на незаконско набљудување и еден случај на дискриминација.

Секој напад врз новинарите претставува напад на јавниот интерес, демократијата и правата на сите граѓани.

Регионална Платформа за застапување на слободата на медиумите и новинарската безбедност, Скопје – Белград – Подгорица – Приштина – Сараево – Загреб

BH Journalists Association
Trade Union of Media of Montenegro
Croatian Journalists’ Association
Association of Journalists of Kosovo
Association of Journalists of Macedonia
Independent Journalist Association of Serbia

STOP THREATS TO DRAGAN JANJIC

AJM

25/01/2018

BELGRADE, 25.01.2019. – The Western Balkan’s Regional Platform for Advocating Media Freedom and Journalists’ Safety, which represents more than 7800 members, strongly condemns serious threats and hate messages directed to the Editor in Chief of the Beta news agency and vice president of the Independent Journalists Association of Serbia Dragan Janjic.

From 16. January 2018, from the Facebook page of Serbia OUR country (Srbija NASA zemlja), Dragan Janjic received more than 300 comments with various insults, but also a direct death threats – “(take him) to Kalemegdan and put a bullet in his forehead”, „Hang him on the square“ and similar. Bearing in mind that on the same page his address was being offered (but not published) to those asked for it, the Regional Platform considers that the safety of Dragan Janjic is directly endangered. According to the Independent Journalists Association of Serbia, the persecution started by a sponsored post, which indicates that it was an organised campaign.

“At the press conference about the assassination of Oliver Ivanovic, local Serbian politician in Kosovo, the president of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic directly named Janjic and indirectly encouraged this spine-chilling campaign against him,” said Slavisa Lekic, president of the IJAS. Lekic explains: “Janjic, one of the most respected journalists in Serbia, due to the expressed opinion on the twitter that “the liquidation of political opponents began”, received direct threats of beating, even murder. His address was offered publicly. I expect the prosecutor’s office to react immediately and prevent further threats to Janjic safety”.

The Regional Platform requests from the competent authorities of the Republic of Serbia to immediately take all legal measures against individuals who, through social networks, openly call for the lynching of Dragan Janjic. It calls upon the highest public officials of the Republic of Serbia to publicly and unequivocally condemn threats and messages of hate against Janjic.

The Regional Platform supports IJAS and in efforts to protect journalists and freedom of speech. At the same time, we call international organisations to exert additional pressure on the authorities in Serbia to respect the freedom of expression and freedom of the media and to ensure the safety of journalists.

In 2017 Serbia recoreded 32 incidents, 6 were physical attacks, 22 verbal threats, 2 attacks on property, one case of surveillance and one of discrimination.

Every attack on journalists is an attack on the public interest, democracy, and rights of all citizens.

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