January 19, 2026
The Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation is appalled by the escalating attacks on independent journalists and media, in which every tool is being used to intimidate and silence them. What is happening has long ceased to be a matter of isolated incidents; it is now an organized, daily, and systematic campaign of intimidation aimed at breaking journalists and depriving the public of information.
In the last three days alone, journalist Marko Dragoslavić was stalked by an unknown individual who subjected him to insults and death threats; journalist Vuk Cvijić and the editorial office of Radar were threatened with physical violence; while the Instagram accounts of the portals nova.rs, Autonomija, and VOICE were suspended, and the account of the weekly Radar was permanently disabled. The targets of these account removals include the non-governmental organizations CRTA and OsnaŽene, photographers Gavrilo Andrić and Irena Mrvica, and numerous activists.
The highest state officials are using their public platforms to normalize threats of violence on a daily basis. In the last five months of 2025, the Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation documented at least 674 verbal attacks by state officials against critical journalists and media outlets. While we insist that it is the state’s duty to safeguard media freedom and ensure journalists’ safety, the authorities are aggressively shrinking the space for public information.
The latest threats and the removal of media accounts are a direct consequence of the government’s sustained campaigns, which label all independent and critical voices in society as hostile and treacherous. The goal is to silence dissent and create an atmosphere where journalism becomes unbearable. At the same time, pro-government outlets are being weaponized to target those who disagree and to shape a false narrative about society – one that molds public opinion to serve the interests of those in power.
According to data from the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office, public prosecutors’ offices initiated 134 cases related to attacks on journalists and media workers during previous year, of which only three resulted in convictions. This impunity, combined with the campaigns led by the highest state officials, encourages further threats and emboldens individuals to attack journalists without fear of prosecution.
The alarming events of recent days confirm that we are in the midst of an escalation of violence, which can only be prevented by an urgent response from the competent authorities, including the prosecution of perpetrators and the immediate cessation of organized smear campaigns against journalists. The devastating truth is that we already know this will not happen.
