On 25 April 2024, the newsroom of the N1 portal (https://n1info.rs/) was targeted with a death threat in the comments section of their website. The threat emerged in response to an article covering the visit of the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić to the United States for the UN Security Council session on Kosovo. Amidst a barrage of insults branding N1 journalists as the ‘worst gang’ and ‘paid traitors from foreign powers’, the threat escalated to a chilling promise of their imminent liquidation and neutralization, leaving nothing behind. Additionally, the comment hinted at further targets, mentioning the media outlets Nova S (https://nova.rs/) and Danas (https://www.danas.rs/). The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (Nezavisno Udruženje Novinara Srbije – NUNS- https://nuns.rs/) swiftly reported this threat to the Prosecutor’s Office for High-Tech Crime in Belgrade, Serbia urging immediate action. You can see the link to the N1 article here: https://n1info.rs/vesti/vucic-sad-i-nemacka-pojacale-lobiranje-za-rezoluciju-o-srebrenici/
This incident is not isolated, it underscores a concerning trend of threats and attacks against N1 journalists. The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemns the targeted intimidation of media professionals. SEEMO stresses the gravity of this threat, which directly undermines press freedom and democratic values.
Moreover, the pattern of threats and insults directed at journalists aligns with previous instances where high-ranking political representative in Serbia have targeted specific media outlets. SEEMO urges these officials to engage constructively with journalists rather than resorting to intimidation tactics.
SEEMO calls upon the Serbian authorities to swiftly investigate this matter and hold the perpetrators accountable. Such threats not only endanger the lives of journalists but also erode the foundations of democracy and freedom of expression. SEEMO stands in solidarity with N1 journalists and underscores the importance of protecting the fundamental rights of journalists to carry out their vital work without fear of reprisal.
On today Friday 3 May 2024, as we mark the 31st World Press Freedom Day, the challenge of upholding the essential pillar of our democracy is in all SEEMO countries.
South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.
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