EFJ/IFJ and media organizations in Serbia warn of a new coordinated defamation campaign.
On September 30, 2025, at least four journalists in Serbia were targeted by anonymous printed leaflets that were distributed in private mailboxes and public places in Belgrade and other cities. Given the increasing number of reported cases across the country, there are suspicions that this coordinated defamation campaign is of significant scale. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), along with their member organizations in Serbia (GS KUM Nezavisnost, NUNS, UNS, and SINOS), are calling on the authorities to urgently and thoroughly investigate these threats, identify, apprehend, and sanction the perpetrators.
On the flyers, each of the journalists is depicted with a "bloody hand," accompanied by accusations that they are organizers of the so-called "colored revolution." The flyers contain photographs of Marko Vidojković, Dinko Gruhonjić, Ivan Ivanović, and Sanja Ignjatović Eker.
These threats are a result of false narratives that have been spreading for months by state officials, including Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, and are supported by pro-government tabloids, aimed at discrediting independent reporting on anti-corruption protests.
“These malicious claims, which reach citizens' homes and public places, incite hatred towards journalists who are constantly targeted with death threats simply for reporting the truth. What are Serbian authorities waiting for to take decisive action and protect those who bravely inform the public? We also reiterate our call to the EU community to condemn all attempts to silence journalists,” stated EFJ President Maja Sever.
On October 1, 2025, Marko Vidojković and Dinko Gruhonjić received threats via social media. “You should be killed and thrown to the dogs” was posted on Instagram, directed at Vidojković, who is one of the hosts of the recently hacked podcast Good Bad Evil – We Will Not Be Silenced. His colleague Nenad Kulačin, along with their families, constantly receive death threats due to their critical stance towards the authorities. Due to the authorities' failure to punish the perpetrators and provide protection, Vidojković was forced to leave the country in 2023.
Since the release of a manipulative video in March 2024, in which Dinko Gruhonjić is depicted as a "state enemy," Gruhonjić has faced numerous serious threats. Following the discovery of death threats written on the wall of his residence, the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) consortium provided him with protective measures.
EFJ and IFJ call on Serbian authorities to urgently take measures to protect endangered journalists and to end the culture of impunity.
We will continue to express solidarity with Serbian journalists and report attacks to the Council of Europe and platforms for mapping media freedoms. We also encourage all threatened journalists to report any dangerous situations so that we can provide them with timely support.
Source: NUNS
