The SafeJournalists Network strongly condemns the repeated coordinated bot attacks targeting the official Instagram profiles of the media outlet “Sloboden Pechat,” the latest two of which occurred last week.
According to available information, within just a few minutes, thousands of suspicious accounts, mostly from abroad, engaged en masse by liking posts on the outlet’s Instagram profiles, indicating organized and malicious activity aimed at undermining the media’s digital integrity. These activities could create the impression on Instagram that this liking is done by bots hired from the profile of this media, and result in temporary or permanent account termination.
These incidents are not isolated, but are part of a series of repeated attacks over the past five months, pointing to a clear and concerning trend of systematic digital harassment and pressure against a media outlet. Such bot attacks represent a potential serious threat to media freedom, their independence, and the public’s right to be informed. It is particularly concerning that the platform Meta, which owns Instagram, does not provide effective mechanisms to protect public media profiles and open profiles in general from such types of attacks. Recommendations to “lock” profiles are not functional for accounts of media outlets, as they directly limit their reach, transparency, and role in serving the public interest.
The SafeJournalists Network calls on the Ministry of Interior of North Macedonia and the competent cybercrime units to act urgently, conduct a thorough investigation, determine the origin of these attacks, and sanction those responsible.
Furthermore, we call on the relevant institutions to develop systemic mechanisms for protecting media from digital attacks, as well as to strengthen cooperation with international technology companies in order to prevent such abuses. At the same time, we call on international organizations to closely monitor this case and insist on an effective institutional response and the protection of media freedom in the digital space.
The SafeJournalists Network reminds that digital attacks against media are an increasingly common form of pressure that can seriously undermine media pluralism and democratic processes. Institutions have an obligation to ensure a safe environment for journalists – both online and offline.
The SafeJournalists Network will continue to monitor and document such cases and inform the public, while insisting on accountability and effective protection against impunity.
Pristina – Skopje – Sarajevo – Zagreb – Belgrade – Podgorica – Tirana, April 15, 2026
Croatian Journalists’ Association
Association of Journalists of Kosovo
Association of Journalists of Macedonia
BH Journalists’ Association
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia
Trade Union of Media of Montenegro
