Serbia: Media freedom mission to probe longstanding challenges and advocate for reform

Against the backdrop of ongoing challenges to media pluralism and increasing attacks and pressure on independent journalists – particularly in the wake of nationwide protests following the Novi Sad tragedy on 1 November 2024 – as highlighted by the recently launched 2025 Europe Press Freedom report of the CoE Platform partners, and the 2025  MFRR Monitoring Report, the mission will assess the current media freedom and safety of journalists’ situation in the country. The visit follows-up on a solidarity mission of media freedom groups in April 2025 to discuss possible measures to improve the safety of journalists. The delegation aims to meet with journalists, public officials, as well as representatives of civil society, international organisations, and foreign representations in Belgrade. 

Key topics on the agenda include violence against journalists during protests, SLAPPs, impunity for the killing of journalists, media capture, the independence of the media regulator and public service media, investigations into spyware cases, and digital threats against journalists. 

The partners will share their initial findings at a press conference on 27 March 2026 at 14:00, at the memorial of murdered journalist Slavko Ćuruvija (Svetogorska 35, Belgrade). 

The delegation will include representatives from the following organisations: ARTICLE 19 Europe, Association of European Journalists (AEJ), Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), European Broadcasting Union, European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), European Federation of Journalists (EFJ),  Index on Censorship, International Press Institute (IPI), Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT), and Reporters Without Borders (RSF). 

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Srbija: Misija za slobodu medija ispitaće dugotrajne izazove i zalagati se za reforme

U periodu od 26. do 27. marta 2026. godine, partnerske organizacije u okviru Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) i Platforme Saveta Evrope za zaštitu novinarstva i bezbednost novinara sprovešće misiju u Srbiji.

U kontekstu stalnih izazova po medijski pluralizam i sve učestalijih napada i pritisaka na nezavisne novinare – naročito nakon masovnih protesta širom zemlje posle tragedije u Novom Sadu 1. novembra 2024. godine – kako je istaknuto u nedavno objavljenom Izveštaju o slobodi medija u Evropi za 2025. godinu partnera Platforme Saveta Evrope, kao i u MFRR Monitoring izveštaju za 2025. godinu, misija će proceniti trenutno stanje slobode medija i bezbednosti novinara u zemlji. Poseta predstavlja nastavak misije solidarnosti organizacija za slobodu medija iz aprila 2025. godine, tokom koje su razmatrane moguće mere za unapređenje bezbednosti novinara. Delegacija ima za cilj da se sastane sa novinarima, javnim zvaničnicima, kao i predstavnicima civilnog društva, međunarodnih organizacija i stranih predstavništava u Beogradu.

Ključne teme na dnevnom redu uključuju nasilje nad novinarima tokom protesta, SLAPP tužbe, nekažnjivost za ubistva novinara, zarobljavanje medija, nezavisnost regulatora i javnih medijskih servisa, istrage o slučajevima špijunskog softvera, kao i digitalne pretnje novinarima.

Partneri će podeliti svoje početne nalaze na konferenciji za novinare 27. marta 2026. godine u 14:00 časova, kod spomen-obeležja ubijenom novinaru Slavku Ćuruviji (Svetogorska 35, Beograd).

Delegaciju će činiti predstavnici sledećih organizacija: ARTICLE 19 Evropa, Udruženje evropskih novinara (AEJ), Komitet za zaštitu novinara (CPJ), Evropska radiodifuzna unija, Evropski centar za slobodu štampe i medija (ECPMF), Evropska federacija novinara (EFJ), Indeks o cenzuri, Međunarodni institut za štampu (IPI), Opservatorija za Balkan, Kavkaz i Transevropu (OBCT) i Reporteri bez granica (RSF).

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