Fourteen organizations and media outlets have sent a letter to META regarding the attacks on the Instagram accounts of media and organizations.

The reason for sending this letter was the temporary shutdown and suspension of the Instagram accounts of several independent media outlets, civil society organizations, photojournalist Gavrilo Andrić, as well as other personal accounts that voiced criticism against the government.

Although the accounts have since been restored, the letter emphasizes that the recent attacks are not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of coordinated attacks on independent media and civil society in Serbia. Increasingly frequent attacks on digital platforms further jeopardize media freedoms, as well as the right of citizens to be informed, especially in a context where independent media are already subjected to political and economic pressures. If such attacks continue, they could have long-term negative consequences for media freedom and freedom of expression in the country, and consequently for the informedness of citizens.

Meta has been asked to explain why these accounts were suspended, what measures are in place to prevent abuses of the reporting system, and whether and how Meta considers the social and political context in cases of public interest, such as this one. Additionally, a question was raised regarding how media and civil society can protect their accounts from similar attacks in the future.

This letter is signed by the Institute for Media and Diversity - Western Balkans, Civic Initiatives, the Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia (NUNS), the media N1, Nova, Nova.rs, Radar, and Danas, the Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation, the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM), the Independent Journalists' Association of Vojvodina (NDNV), the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS), the Committee of Lawyers for Human Rights (YUCOM), and the association OsnaŽene.