17 Feb Three Freedoms Under the Magnifying Glass: 3 – 16 February, 2023
Belgrade, 17 February, 2023 –
Violations of basic freedoms in Serbia
3 – 16 February, 2023
In the observed period from February 3 to 16, 2023, several cases of violations of freedom of expression were recorded in Serbia,
In two different cases, SLAPP lawsuits were initiated – in one case, Indjija Municipality President Vladimir Gak sued his fellow citizen Milan Milosavljević, after Milosavljević left a comment on the municipality’s Facebook page, in which he called Gak a liar. In another case, the BIRN portal was sued by Predrag Koluvija, who is on trial as the leader of a criminal group that was involved in the production of marijuana. Koluvija is demanding 200,000 dinars from BIRN, claiming that he was caused emotional pain by BIRN’s transmission of information that was presented during his trial.
Journalists were once again targeted by unknown persons on social networks, but also by the highest political figures in the country. Journalist Pero Jovović once again received death threats via Twitter, while investigative journalists who write about criminal clans and their activities and connections with state structures were accused by the Prime Minister of collaborating with those same clans.
In addition, politician Rada Trajković, who is often exposed to targeting and restriction of freedom of movement in Serbia, was this time directly targeted by the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister as a “Western agent”.
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* The dynamics of publishing the report will depend on the current situation.