ANEM ALARM: In the first half of this year, four journalists were relocated from Serbia due to government repression and pro-regime media.

Radić stated that he left the country after pro-government media published video recordings of his surveillance that also captured his minor daughter.

"My daughter, who will be 16 years old in a few days, was targeted. On Tuesday, June 23, TV Informer showed her in the surveillance footage, and during that day, they released fresh recordings of me waiting in the park for her to finish some obligations. What to do when there are many enemies and they threaten your child? We went abroad," Radić noted in a written statement to the Beta agency.

ANEM reminds us that since the beginning of this year, three journalists have already left Serbia. Prior to them, two other journalists left Serbia based on their own assessments, as well as those from journalistic associations and media organizations, concluding that they could no longer safely practice journalism in their country. Their decisions were made after numerous threats, pressures, attacks, and other consequences of toxic campaigns and targeting by government representatives and pro-regime television stations and tabloids directed at them and their families.

"After the attempted murder of a journalist who reported on local elections and numerous other serious physical attacks on female journalists, male journalists, photojournalists, and activists – the only way to protect their lives and the lives of their families is to leave the country. It is incredible that in modern Serbia, we have citizens – journalists, activists, and public workers – going into exile to save their lives. We have students and activists who have been in exile for over a year. This is devastating for a society and a state. Instead of protecting journalists and advocating for the enhancement of freedom of speech and media and other democratic achievements, the highest state officials actively create a negative lynching atmosphere directed at all those who professionally do their jobs and voice criticism against the authorities. We remind you that the job of journalists and the media, as well as civil society organizations and other public actors, is to perform a watchdog role and point out deficiencies, irregularities, and potential corruption, while it is the duty of the authorities to respond to their findings and enable their further unobstructed work. In Serbia, we are witnessing the opposite case, which is unimaginable. Our state is waging an open war against critical and professional media and journalists, as evidenced by the reports of numerous international organizations," stated Veran Matić, President of the ANEM Management Board, member of the Permanent Working Group for the Safety of Journalists, and operator on the Journalists' Safe Line 0800 100 115.

We remind you of the record number of threats, pressures, and physical attacks on media representatives in Serbia in the last year and a half (over 250 according to the records of the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office). We also point out the nearly complete impunity for such acts (only five convictions). This openly sends messages to the public that it is permissible to attack journalists on duty and that no one will be held accountable for it.

ANEM once again demands that the President of the country, representatives of the Government of Serbia, the Speaker of the Assembly, members of parliament, and other officials immediately cease labeling journalists and media professionals who critically report on the government. They are all expected to condemn the dangerous campaigns led by pro-government media that do not respect ethical and professional journalistic standards.

We also call on the relevant authorities to immediately begin addressing existing cases of attacks on media workers in Serbia, thereby putting an end to the negative trend.

If nothing changes in the state and society, numerous media professionals whose safety and lives are already endangered will unfortunately be forced to leave Serbia. This will produce additional harmful consequences for freedom of speech, media, and democracy here, whose principles are increasingly undermined by the behavior of the local authorities.

Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM)

The project "Improving the System Mechanism for Prevention and Response in Cases of Threats to the Safety and Life of Female and Male Journalists in Serbia" is implemented by ANEM in partnership with Insajder TV and the Center for the Development of Local Media, with the support of the European Union.

The OSCE Mission in Serbia supported ANEM's project "24/7 SOS Helpline for Journalists and Other Threatened Media Workers," as part of the EU-funded project "Strengthening Freedom of Expression and Media Freedom in Serbia."