ANEM: The Case of Jelena Kleut – Repression Against Universities and Journalism Professors is Intensifying

This is a precedent for which there is concern that it may trigger a series of similar decisions aimed explicitly at settling scores with representatives of the academic community who have expressed critical opinions and publicly voiced their views on societal and state issues.

Jelena Kleut is a professor at the Department of Media Studies, and this represents a continuation of the ongoing attack on this department, which has produced numerous professional journalists. This act will indirectly harm the media landscape, which will be deprived of an outstanding educator who taught students the consistent respect for media laws and codes.

The evaluation of teaching staff at higher education institutions should be based on their academic and scientific work, specifically on meeting the conditions for election to scientific titles, rather than on the opinions they express publicly, especially since the academic community is expected, in a democratic society, to highlight issues that do not undermine the development of the rule of law in the state.

Such moves represent a classic example of silencing, that is, stifling freedom of expression, which can have profound consequences for society as a whole, particularly on the education of young people, in this case, future media professionals whose job, according to all definitions and textbooks of journalism, should be the critical examination of all phenomena and events in a society.

The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) provides strong support and expresses solidarity with Professor Jelena Kleut, who has significantly contributed to the research and development of the media landscape in Serbia during her academic career, as well as with all other members of the academic community who fight for freedom of expression, the rule of law, and democratic values.