SafeJournalists warns of decline in safety for journalists

The Journalist Safety Index report said that journalists in Serbia face various types of pressure although the law guarantees them freedom to practice their profession.

“Officials and powerful people are finding new ways to sue journalists and put additional pressure on them, which has the effect of increasing the number of SLAPP lawsuits. Journalists are also threatened by other regulations that are occasionally used against them,” it said.

It added that the occasional sensitivity of the police to questions about the safety of journalists is an indication that it is not done systematically and in-depth, and that the police do not fundamentally understand the role of journalists and the importance of preserving their safety. “Although the knowledge of competent authorities is increasing, problems such as lack of sensibility, real capacities and technical decisions that reduce the real effectiveness of those who provide protection are increasingly manifested,” it said.

The Western Balkan Journalists’ Safety Index is a mechanism that measures and monitors changes in social and political environments that have a direct or indirect impact on the safety of journalists and media professionals while doing their work.