The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS) strongly condemns the targeting of university professor and journalist Dinko Gruhonjić and journalist Getoarbë Mulliqi in an article published by the tabloid Informer, which exposes them to public lynching, insults and potential danger.
Informer published an article titled “Dinko and the Shiptar journalist supported the blockers and attacked Serbia: It is good that they say Serbs are to blame for the wars in Yugoslavia”, in which Dinko Gruhonjić is labelled an “autonomist” and “anti-Serb oriented professor”, while journalist Getoarbë Mulliqi is targeted on ethnic grounds. The article presents their professional work and analysis of the state of media freedom, dealing with the past and the attitude towards the wars of the 1990s as an attack on Serbia.
IJAS warns that such reporting represents dangerous targeting of women and men journalists, incitement of hostility and an attempt to discredit them. The use of insulting, ethnically charged and inflammatory labels is particularly dangerous in an atmosphere in which journalists and media workers are increasingly exposed to threats, pressure and hate campaigns.
Dinko Gruhonjić has for a long time been the target of serious threats, insults and targeting campaigns in public and in pro-government media. Each new instance of targeting further endangers his safety and creates an atmosphere in which threats and violence become more likely.
IJAS particularly stresses that the targeting of journalist Getoarbë Mulliqi on the basis of her ethnic background is unacceptable. Such rhetoric contributes to inciting ethnic intolerance and sends a dangerous message that women and men journalists can be attacked not because of their work, but because of their identity, origin or the topics they cover.
We recall that the role of the media is to critically examine social and political processes, including the attitude towards the past, media freedom, war crimes, disinformation and the accountability of institutions. Disagreement with the authors’ views must not be used as a reason for labelling, dehumanising and exposing them to danger.
IJAS calls on the competent institutions to treat such cases with due attention, taking into account the consequences that targeting campaigns may have for the safety of journalists. We also call on the media to respect professional and ethical standards, to refrain from inflammatory narratives and not to use language that may incite hatred, threats and violence.
The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia expresses its full solidarity with Dinko Gruhonjić and Getoarbë Mulliqi and warns that the continuous targeting of journalists represents a serious threat to media freedom, the safety of media workers and public dialogue in Serbia.
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia
Belgrade, 16 June 2026
