ANEM: Concernig Statistics from the Prosecutor's Office on Cases of Attacks on Journalists in 2025

Data from the previous year shows that, in addition to three cases with convictions, 30 cases were closed due to the dismissal of criminal charges or a formal note stating that there was no basis for initiating criminal proceedings. There are still 101 ongoing cases, of which the perpetrators have not yet been identified in 13, while in more than half of the "active" cases (58), necessary information from the police is still awaited.

This is a record number of cases opened in prosecutors' offices regarding attacks on journalists and media workers in the last ten years since statistics have been maintained. From 2016 until the end of last year, a total of 724 cases were formed, of which only 10 percent (79 cases) resulted in a conviction.

In 2024, 65 cases with one conviction were recorded; in 2023, there were 76 cases and as many as 12 convictions, while in 2022 there were also 12 such convictions out of 87 cases, according to data from the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office.

ANEM considers the statistics from the last two years to be extremely concerning and calls on all relevant authorities to promptly resolve all cases threatening the safety of media workers, noting that such impunity has led to a drastic increase in threats, pressures, and attacks on journalists in Serbia.

We particularly urge the Ministry of Interior to cooperate with prosecutors in collecting and timely delivering the necessary information so that cases can be concluded and perpetrators sanctioned.

As a reminder, according to the database of the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS), at least 379 such cases were recorded in the previous year, 2025, and there are many more since many media representatives do not report all incidents due to a lack of trust in institutions.

The endangerment of media workers' safety directly affects the development of media freedom, the quality of information provided to citizens, media pluralism, and, in general, the values of a democratic and civilized society. Therefore, it is essential for all state institutions to be involved, directly or indirectly, in resolving cases of attacks on journalists.

Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM)

The project "System for the Prevention of Violence and Protection of Journalists" is implemented by ANEM in partnership with Insider TV and the Center for the Development of Local Media, with the support of the European Union.