European Federation of Journalists condemns trespassing on N1 grounds

In its statement, the EFJ said the smear campaign against N1 television has been intensified by public officials in recent weeks and culminated with a protest of about 30 people for around three hours in the courtyard of the building where the newsroom is located.

It noted that the protesters introduced themselves as the “People’s Headquarters” and held speeches with sound systems and banners. While the group didn’t enter the newsroom, journalists were threatened, disrupted in their work, and employees were not feeling safe leaving the premises.

The EFJ said that NUNS denounced the lack of response from the police and the prosecutor’s office.

“N1 television is under massive attack, both from representatives of the authorities and from extreme right-wing groups (…). N1 television and its journalists are said to be the cause of tragic events, newsrooms and journalists are regularly threatened, and events such as this rally, if allowed, only increase the tension and the level of threats against journalists,” the EFJ cited NUNS.

It added that in the days leading up to the protest against N1, MP of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) twice blamed media of United Media (UM) group – especially N1 and Nova S – for the school shooting that happened in Belgrade at the beginning of May. He suggested that journalists were creating “a sick environment conducive to such tragedies”.