Update
Council of Europe Commissioner warns of deteriorating human ...
Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O’Flaherty visited Serbia from 18 to 2...
A total of 208 violations were documented during the year - more than double the 84 cases recorded in 2024 - affecting 358 media workers or entities. Serbia accounted for the largest number of recorded cases among EU member states and candidate countries and was identified as a media freedom “crisis point” in the region.
Verbal attacks represented 62% of all documented cases. Other violations included attacks on property (23.1%), physical violence (21.2%), interference with journalistic work (19.2%), and legal threats (5.8%). Physical attacks increased significantly, with 44 recorded cases compared to 14 the previous year. Sixteen assaults were attributed to police officers, most of them occurring during protest coverage, and five resulted in injuries.
The report highlights that the media environment became particularly dangerous for journalists covering anti-corruption protests following the collapse of the Novi Sad railway canopy on 1 November 2024. A solidarity mission conducted in April 2025 described a “situation of emergency” marked by censorship, political pressure, media capture, smear campaigns, and threats against journalists.
Verbal attacks represented 62% of all documented cases. Other violations included attacks on property (23.1%), physical violence (21.2%), interference with journalistic work (19.2%), and legal threats (5.8%). Physical attacks increased significantly, with 44 recorded cases compared to 14 the previous year. Sixteen assaults were attributed to police officers, most of them occurring during protest coverage, and five resulted in injuries.
The report highlights that the media environment became particularly dangerous for journalists covering anti-corruption protests following the collapse of the Novi Sad railway canopy on 1 November 2024. A solidarity mission conducted in April 2025 described a “situation of emergency” marked by censorship, political pressure, media capture, smear campaigns, and threats against journalists.
“Moving forward, concrete actions are needed to ensure citizens’ right to free and independent information and to reverse the trend of backsliding media freedom”
Independent outlets were repeatedly targeted. Broadcaster N1 faced at least 52 attacks, including bomb threats, death threats, and harassment of journalists. The report documents instances in which high-ranking officials publicly discredited journalists, including statements labeling certain media as “enemies” of the state or accusing them of “terrorism,” followed by threats directed at those outlets and reporters. Harassment and smear campaigns also affected Nova, Danas, Radar, KRIK, BIRN, and other independent journalists and commentators.
The report further documents cases of spyware use against journalists, hacking of media outlets, arbitrary arrests, defamation lawsuits, and political interference in both regulatory bodies and public broadcasters. Concerns were also raised about irregularities in the appointment process of the Council of the Regulatory Authority of Electronic Media (REM), as well as uncertainty surrounding the future ownership and editorial independence of independent television channels N1 and Nova.
Number of total press freedom violations documented in Serbia per year between 2021 to 2025.
Source: mappingmediafreedom.org
Source: mappingmediafreedom.org
