July 16, 2025
The Court of Appeal confirmed on 14th July the ruling of the first-instance court whereby Verica Marinčić, editor-in-chief of independent local portal IN Media, must pay 160,000 dinars (approx. 1,370 euros) under the first of seven lawsuits filed against her for publishing a photo of children at a reception with the president of the Municipality of Inđija, which she took from the municipality’s website.
At a children’s reception, the municipal president distributed to children who train karate a product advertised as honey for sexual potency. The publishing of this information by IN Media resulted in lawsuits by filed by the parents of seven of the children. Other media outlets also published the same news and image, but only IN Media has been sued.
As such, no one is being held accountable for the gaffe made by the local government, rather the media company that pointed out the blunder is being blamed. And it just happens to be the only local media company that publishes articles critical of the government and that has for years been targeted by the municipal administration with threats and pressures, and even physical attacks.
If the first verdict is anything to go by, IN media will be made to pay a figure that could be higher than a million dinars (approx. 10,000 euros), which would practically cause the collapse of this independent media outlet.
“This is just the first of seven SLAPP lawsuits that are aimed at silencing us and forcing us to self-censor – it is actually pressure on us to stop working at a moment when the most important thing for us is to continue telling the truth about everything the government is trying to hide,” announced IN media.
“The case of IN Media clearly shows that SLAPP lawsuits can lead to media shutdowns, which would be a serious blow to media pluralism and citizens’ right to be informed” – states a joint statement issued by eight journalist and media organisations that are calling for solidarity while expressing concern that these lawsuits could lead to IN Media’s closure.
