Elections in Serbia: Journalists face serious threats of violence
Journalists in Serbia face escalating violence, threats and intimidation ahead of the parliamentary elections on 25 October. At Free Press Unlimited, we are deeply concerned about the deteriorating media freedom situation and the risks journalists face when reporting on the elections.
Since the beginning of 2026, the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) has documented 157 attacks, affecting 261 journalists and media workers in Serbia. These numbers include a steep rise in online death threats. In 2025, Serbia recorded 209 incidents, which is nearly three times as many as the previous year. Journalists covering previous elections were also physically attacked, beaten, had their equipment destroyed and faced threats against their families.
The current electoral campaign and upcoming elections on 25 October is putting more pressure on journalists, with physical attacks, death threats and obstruction targeting reporters covering the elections. Political figures, including state officials, have contributed to a climate of hostility towards independent media. Some journalists have even been exiled, while others face serious risks within their communities.
Despite repeated commitments, Serbian authorities continue to fail to bring those responsible for attacks to justice. This persistent impunity puts journalists at risk and threatens to push them towards self-censorship. An incomplete and ineffective media regulator further undermines media freedom and pluralism.
Free Press Unlimited, together with MFRR and the SafeJournalists Network (SJN), calls on Serbian authorities to publicly condemn attacks against journalists, thoroughly investigate threats and violence, and ensure that police protect journalists reporting on the elections, including at polling stations and campaign events. Those responsible must be held accountable.
We also urge politicians to stop inciting hostility towards journalists and call on the European Union to press Serbian authorities for effective protection measures and concrete progress in investigating attacks. International election observers must closely monitor journalists' safety and freedom to report.
Read the full statement on the MFRR website, including all recommendations to Serbian authorities, the European Union and international election observers.
