October 15, 2024
Much like in other European countries, the Serbian media has been hit with a deluge of SLAPP lawsuits over the last few years. These cases don’t only represent huge pressure and drain the capacities of newsrooms that are mostly small, rather they also pose an existential risk to these publishers and media companies.
Among those facing pressure is the Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation, which is facing eight active lawsuits that present a huge problem for the foundation’s functioning. This year alone, the SĆF has been sued by three former members of the State Security Services who were initially convicted – and subsequently acquitted, in February – for the 11th April 1999 murder of journalist Slavko Ćuruvija.
“Twenty-five years after Slavko’s murder, we don’t have punished culprits, but then the foundation that bears his name is now going to court, as are Slavko’s children indirectly, as founders of the Foundation,” said SĆF executive director Ivana Stevanović.
The SĆF was also previously sued by the publisher of pro-government tabloid newspaper Kurir over its carrying of analysis of fake news and hate speech, as well as the owner of another pro-government portal over its reporting on the trial….
In the case that it loses all court cases, the SĆF will have to pay approximately 50,000 euros, which is a huge sum that would bring into question the continued survival of much larger NGOs than this foundation.
