The SafeJournalists Network strongly condemns the targeting of the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS/NUNS) by the newly formed pro-government Association of Journalists of Serbia (AJS/ANS), which labeled NUNS as an organization that “supports the riot organizers.” This statement has so far been republished by at least 20 media outlets in Serbia, while five others have published articles portraying NUNS as a “political outpost supporting anti-Serbian, Ustaša, and destructive ideologies,” thereby directly endangering the safety of NUNS members and staff.
Due to expected major traffic disruptions in Belgrade on Saturday, June 28, which will hinder journalists’ access to newsrooms and reporting from events, NUNS has decided—just as it did on March 15—to open its office to journalists and media workers covering the protests, as well as to its members.
The Association of Journalists of Serbia (ANS) has maliciously and falsely interpreted this gesture, accusing NUNS of inviting “participants and reporters” and of “providing logistical support to the organizers of political unrest, blockades, and violence—who are increasingly being referred to in the public as blockade-terrorists.”
ANS further accuses NUNS of “gross violations of professional ethics,” claiming it is complicit in “attempts to paralyze the state” and engaged in “political activism.”
This statement prompted many pro-government media outlets, by their own designation, to label NUNS as an organization that “supports the butchering politics of the NDH” (Independent State of Croatia).
The SafeJournalists Network highlights that this represents a clear and coordinated campaign of targeting NUNS, which may have serious consequences for the safety of its secretariat members, as well as the journalists who will be present at NUNS premises on Saturday.
The malicious misrepresentation by the pro-government journalists’ association aims to discredit a reputable association with international credibility, which is a member of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). Particularly concerning are media reports and articles labeling NUNS as an organization that “supports the butchering politics of the NDH,” effectively placing a target on NUNS members and employees and endangering their safety.
We consider the article disseminated by multiple media outlets to constitute hate speech directed at NUNS members, as well as a deliberate and malicious act of inciting public panic and anxiety. Such rhetoric directly fuels a lynch-mob atmosphere, which is deeply troubling in a society that aspires to democratic values and the rule of law.
We therefore call on the relevant institutions in Serbia to provide protection for journalists who will be present at the NUNS offices on Saturday and to initiate proceedings against those responsible for hate speech and spreading panic.
The SafeJournalists Network will inform national and international stakeholders of this concerning development and will continue to closely monitor the situation.
Every attack on journalists is an attack on democracy, the public interest, and fundamental human rights.
Pristina – Skopje – Sarajevo – Zagreb – Belgrade – Podgorica, 27 June 2025
Association of Journalists of Kosovo
Association of Journalists of Macedonia
BH Journalists Association
Croatian Journalists’ Association
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia
Trade Union of Media of Montenegro
