Berlin, September 22, 2026—As Serbians prepare to vote in October parliamentary
elections
, journalists covering the polls are at serious risk of threats, violence and hostility of the sort that has become increasingly
common
during President Aleksandar Vučić’s time in office.
Recent attacks on reporters covering political rallies ahead of the vote on October 25 provide an ominous early warning of the dangers that could lie ahead unless Serbia’s authorities act now to ensure journalists can do their work safely and without fear.
With press freedom facing challenges across the continent, CPJ calls on Serbia’s European partners to monitor the situation closely, encourage Belgrade to guarantee the rule of law is respected and speak out to challenge violations of press freedom.
CPJ and partner organizations visited the capital Belgrade in March this year and a
report
on that trip, published in July by partners of the Council of Europe’s Safety of Journalists Platform and the Media Freedom Rapid Response, documented escalating police violence, smear campaigns fueled by public officials, persistent impunity, legal and digital threats and the ruling party’s efforts to tighten its grip over the media.
Since that visit, reports of journalists being physically attacked while reporting on local elections and political gatherings have underscored these findings and raised fresh concerns about a rising climate of hostility ahead of the October vote.
“Our mission to Serbia exposed an alarming reality: journalists face violence in the streets, threats against their families, and relentless efforts to discredit their work, often led by senior government officials, while the institutions responsible for protecting them too often fail to act or hold perpetrators accountable,” said Attila Mong, CPJ’s Europe representative.
“Ahead of the October elections, conditions for journalists are getting worse. We have multiple reports of journalists being assaulted whil
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