In less than two months, out of 34 attacks on journalists, 14 were committed by violent supporters of the Serbian Progressive Party, and 20 attacks were carried out by law enforcement officers, according to Reporters Without Borders.
Violence against to journalists in Serbia reached a sad record, since in less than two months 34 attacks were recorded on media professionals while they were reporting on protests against corruption, the organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) announced today and called on the European Union to react.
EU members and the European Parliament were asked to send a clear message to the Serbian authorities that their passive attitude and potential complicity in those events are incompatible with the goal of joining the EU.
Of the 34 incidents, 14 were committed by violent supporters of the Serbian Progressive Party, and 20 attacks were carried out by law enforcement officers, according to RSF.
It is added that the number of attacks in the past two months exceeds all annual aggregate figures of violence against media professionals in Serbia since 2020.
A total of 65 cases were recorded this year, and on average, one Serbian media worker was physically attacked every two days, which is intolerable, RSF said.
Germany and France to condemn attacks on journalists
The European Parliament and influential countries such as Germany and France were asked to strongly condemn the record number of attacks on Serbian journalists. The Serbian government must realize that such a setback is incompatible with its stated ambition to join the EU, the statement said.
Journalists suffer threats and attacks with metal rods, bricks and stones from violent political supporters, while the police spray them with tear gas. On several occasions, the police did not intervene to protect journalists when they were attacked by violent protesters, the statement claimed.
Reporters Without Borders estimated that the attacks and death threats against journalists were incited by the statements of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and the writings of pro-government tabloids.
"Since December, there have been unfounded accusations that protesters and some independent media are organizing a 'coup', financed by Western countries. At the end of June, Vučić called N1 and Nova S televisions 'terrorists,'" the statement states.
It is stated that Serbia is ranked in 96th place out of 180 countries according to the World Press Freedom Index for this year and that it occupies the penultimate place in the EU-Balkans zone.
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