Journalists face threats and restrictions in Serbia and Kosovo

Press safety organizations in Serbia and Kosovo reported multiple incidents and regulatory developments in early August.

The Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia recorded 19 safety incidents in July, including two physical attacks and 14 death threats. Concurrently, the Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation documented over 100 verbal attacks against journalists by government and ruling party officials.

In Belgrade, legal authorities opened an investigation after film director Stevan Filipović was assaulted on August 5. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić condemned the incident and urged prosecution.

In Kosovo, media groups protested after several Serbian-language outlets were denied access to a parliamentary session in Pristina despite submitting accreditation requests. Meanwhile, Serbian journalism associations highlighted new European Union transparency rules requiring clear disclosure when artificial intelligence is used to produce or modify media content.

Sources: Beta, CDM, Danas, N1, Tanjug.