24 Jun [THE REPORT] Citizens associations: Shrinking space for civil society‘s activism in 2021
June 24, Belgrade
We present you the Report on Shrinking space for civil society‘s activism in 2021.
The report points to key issues in the areas of fundamental rights and freedoms, in particular the right of association, expression and assembly, as well as the involvement of the civil sector in the policy and decision-making process.
Considered from an institutional and normative aspect, the conditions for civil society organisations‘ work (CSOs) can be qualified as unfavourable, however, if we take into account the broader socio-political context, and first and foremost, the dominant public discourse and odium towards the civil sector, then the overall environment in which CSOs are functioning can be characterised also as hostile. The establishing of the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue has not contributed to the qualitative improvement of this condition, nor to the alleviation of the growing tensions in the society due to the unrepresentative constitution of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, the lack of institutional dialogue and the space for political articulation of a large number of citizens‘ attitudes.
Apart from the almost day-to-day negative campaign conducted through tabloids, institutional pressure in the form of unjustified tax controls and impunity of attacks on activists and journalists, in 2021, civil society faced new forms of pressure which fundamentally jeopardize their work and survival. Namely, it is about the newly established practice of filing the so-called SLAPP lawsuits against civil society organisations and local media. The aim of such complaints is not to reach justice, nor is it to gain adequate financial compensation and damages for distress or damage to reputation of the claimant, but to financially drain the media sued, which would in turn bring about the complete cessation of their work or at least self-censorship out of fear for further existence.
Additionally, a new mechanism of limiting citizens‘ practice of their constitutional right to freedom of expression was established, in the form of previous police visits of the activists and their premises, who in this way inform them that in case the activists partake in protest meetings, they would be legally prosecuted for misdemeanour or crime.
The Report Citizens associations: Shrinking space for civil society‘s activism in 2021 can be downloaded by clicking the button below.
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