On 9 December 2024 an incident occurred at the Faculty of Technical Sciences (Fakultet Tehničkih nauka – FTN) in Novi Sad, Serbia, where a journalist from TV N1 (https://n1info.rs/), Lea Apro, was harassed while reporting on a student blockade. A young man opposed to the blockade allegedly forcibly took Apro’s phone, handing it to another individual, before it was eventually returned.
The incident began when students involved in the blockade pointed out a man who was allegedly recording Apro on his phone. When she approached him to ask why he was filming her, the individual concealed his face and remained silent. Shortly afterward, he allegedly grabbed Apro’s phone, prompting a physical scuffle before the device was handed back.
Following this, several young men surrounded the N1 TV crew, questioning their presence and recording activities. Despite Apro’s inquiries, they refused to identify the man responsible for the act, claiming they did not know him. Apro had in the meantime learned the name of the attacker, as well as that he is a student at the Faculty of Technical Sciences.
Journalist organizations in Serbia have condemned the incident. The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (Nezavisno Udruženje Novinara Srbije – NUNS – https://nuns.rs/) called it a grave violation of press freedom, highlighting the growing trend of threats and harassment against journalists. According to data from NUNS database reports a total of 149 attacks, threats, and pressures on journalists so far this year, highlighting significant risks to media freedom and journalist safety.
You can read the NUNS article here: https://nuns.rs/nuns-najostije-osudjujemo-napad-na-novinarku-n1-leu-apro/
The Journalists’ Association of Serbia (Udruženje novinara Srbije – UNS – https://www.uns.org.rs/) also condemned the attack and called for prosecutorial action, asserting that violence against journalists is unacceptable and must be punished to send a clear message of deterrence.
This incident underscores the pressing need for safeguards to ensure journalists can perform their duties without fear of intimidation or harm.
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemns the pressure made against journalist Lea Apro from N1. Such actions are unacceptable and represent a direct attack on press freedom and the safety of journalists. SEEMO calls on the relevant authorities in Serbia to take swift action to identify and hold accountable those responsible. SEEMO will be closely monitoring this case to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to protect journalists and uphold media freedom.
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.
#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech #southeasteuropemediaorganisation #ngo #journalist #serbia #novisad #leaapro #n1 #journalistattack #SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia