Permanent Working Group for Journalist Safety: Only one conviction for attacks on journalists in 2026.
In the first eight months of 2026, 99 cases related to the endangerment of journalists and other media workers were established, the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office announced at yesterday's meeting of the Permanent Working Group for the Safety of Journalists (SRG). This is nearly 18 percent more than in the same period last year, which was, in terms of the number of cases, a record since the prosecution began keeping records. Of the 99 cases mentioned, only one resulted in a final conviction for the perpetrator of the criminal act against journalists.
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At the same time, the police did not respond to 58 requests from public prosecutors for the collection of necessary information and other data, which complicates the enforcement of effective investigations, it was warned at the meeting. Branko Stamenković, a prosecutor from the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office and a member of the SRG, assessed that the number of cases related to attacks, threats, and other forms of endangering the safety of journalists is increasing year by year, and that the existing trend indicates the possibility of another record year in 2026.
The meeting specifically addressed the parliamentary elections scheduled for October 25 as a potentially serious risk to the safety of journalists. It was concluded that, following the engagement of the SRG during the local elections held earlier this year, it is necessary to ensure the presence of SRG representatives in certain cities and municipalities before the elections and on election day itself, and to activate additional mechanisms for rapid response and accelerated information exchange between journalists, police, and prosecutors.
In addition, among the measures discussed were the introduction of additional mechanisms to establish all-day communication possibilities between journalists whose safety may be at risk and their representatives and public prosecutor contact points on election day, as well as additional training for prosecutors on the safety of journalists during the electoral process.
Representatives of journalists' and media associations pointed out that, in addition to the increase in the number of cases and the decreased efficiency of the police in conducting investigations, it is very important that every attack or threat is reported, even when affected journalists doubt that the case will be resolved quickly or at all. Documenting each case represents a basis for monitoring trends, improving the protection system, and serves as important testimony to the state of media freedoms in Serbia.
The SRG, established in January 2017, consists of representatives from the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, as well as six journalistic and media associations - the Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS), the Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia (NUNS), the Independent Journalists' Association of Vojvodina (NDNV), the Media Association (AM), the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM), the Association of Online Media (AOM), and the OSCE Mission to Serbia in an observer status.
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