HRW Report: Serbian journalists continue to face threats and attacks

NEWS 12.01.202314:06
novinari mediji mikrofoni
Shutterstock/ilustracija

Independent journalists in Serbia could not rely on state protection again in 2022, war crimes trials were sluggish and obstructed, the asylum system remained flawed and people with disabilities and the LGBT population were exposed to discrimination and violence, reads the latest Human Rights Watch (HRW) report.

In its annual report on human rights around the globe, HRW said that Serbian journalists critical of the government continued to face threats and attacks, with inadequate state response.

Citing information from the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS), HRW said two physical attacks were registered between January and late August, along with three attacks on property and 26 cases of intimidation and threats against journalists and media outlets.

Listing a number of concrete examples of these threats and attacks, HRW found that, in 2022 as well, “pro-government media continued smear campaigns against independent journalists and outlets in connection with reporting critical of the government.”

Regarding responsibility for war crimes, HRW wrote that, as of August, 16 cases against 39 defendants were pending before Serbian courts, and that the ongoing proceedings were “marred by significant delays and postponements.”

Giving an example, HRW said that the first trial in Serbia for war crimes in Srebrenica has been postponed over 20 times since it began in December 2016, with the accused simply failing to appear at hearings without sanction.

In the section on refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, HRW said that between January and August last year Serbia registered 2,653 asylum seekers, but that the authorities only allowed 251 asylum applications to be lodged.

“Between January and August, Serbia granted refugee status to two people and subsidiary protection to nine. Serbia granted temporary protection to 817 people, almost exclusively from Ukraine,” wrote HRW, noting that the asylum system remained flawed with difficulties for asylum seekers accessing procedures, low recognition rates, and long delays.

In addition, said HRW, Serbia lacks formal age assessment procedures for unaccompanied children, putting older children at risk of being treated as adults instead of receiving special protection.

The report reads that between January and September, Serbian NGOs recorded 30 hate motivated incidents against LGBT people, including 10 physical attacks.

HRW also said the Serbian authorities sought to cancel last year’s Europride march in Belgrade citing security concerns, mentions the attacks on Pride Parade participants and on the Belgrade Pride Info Center, and notes that right wing religious and political groups pressured the authorities to ban LGBT topics in the school curriculum.

Regarding people with disabilities, HRW said that last year the number of people in this category living in institutions again increased, and that children continued to be housed with unrelated adults. It added that education for children with disabilities remained limited.