The Coalition for Media Freedom and the Association of Independent Electronic Media (AIEM) express their concern regarding the series of warnings before the lawsuit that the legal team sent to numerous newsrooms due to the alleged violation of copyright and moral rights in connection with the video that is part of the coverage of the events in front of the Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) building on March 11, 2025. The video, which was broadcast by numerous media, shows an incident in front of the RTS building in which a member of the gendarmerie hit a plainclothes policeman, while the students gathered at the protest were accused of assaulting the policeman.
The media that were the target of these warnings are professional media that report in accordance with the Serbian Journalists’ Code of Ethics and in the interest of the public. The published video, which at the time of publication was already available on social networks, was presented exclusively for informational purposes – so that the citizens of Serbia would be accurately, timely and objectively informed about the events that caused great public attention and led to accusations against students for an alleged attack on a police officer and prevent the spread of misinformation.
In the context of reporting on such an important and sensitive event, it is clear that the public interest in publishing content that contributes to clarifying the circumstances prevails. We also point out that it is necessary to have a balance between the legitimate rights of copyright holders and the right of citizens to receive truthful and timely information on matters of public interest. According to the Law on Copyright and Related Rights, the law has exceptions that allow the use of an author’s work without the author’s permission for the purpose of reporting on current events. It was on this basis that the professional media made the decision to publish the footage.
The media express their willingness to retroactively state the name of the author if it was unknown at the time of publication and emphasize that it is an author’s recording, which would ensure full respect of the author’s moral rights.
We invite Mr. Stanković to a dialogue and an open conversation with media representatives, with the desire to resolve the situation peacefully, without entering into a court case. The Coalition for Media Freedom and AIEM believe that cooperation and understanding between content authors and the media is in the interest of the entire society, especially in order to preserve professional, responsible and free information.
The Coalition for Media Freedom and Association of Independent Electronic Media (AIEM)
Belgrade, April 15, 2025
The Coalition for Media Freedom: the Association of Media, the Association of Online Media (AOM), the Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina (NDNV), the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS), the Business Association of Local and Independent Media “Local Press”, the Slavko Curuvija Foundation and Branch Trade Union of Culture, Arts and Media ‘Nezavisnost’
