Serbian journalists protest reported attacks, pressure on media

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BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Dozens of journalists blocked traffic on Wednesday outside the office of Serbia's populist President Aleksandar Vucic to protest what they say are mounting attacks and pressure on the media in the Balkan country.

The gathering in Belgrade was organized after journalists reporting on local elections in Serbia on Sunday faced attacks during violent incidents that were reported in at least three out of 10 towns where the balloting was held.

“We want to show solidarity with colleagues who were attacked on that day (Sunday) ... but also to stress the ever harder and more dangerous position of journalists in the field,” Serbia's Independent Journalists' Association said in a statement.

The group added that “attacks on journalists are not isolated incidents, they are a systematic blow to the public's right to know.”

International observers said they witnessed violence and irregularities on Sunday.

The vote was seen as a test for Vucic following more than a year of youth-led street protests that have shaken his tight grip on power. His right-wing populist Serbian Progressive Party won in all 10 municipalities.

Around 20 journalists were attacked on Sunday while more than 100 attacks have been recorded this year, the Serbian media association said.

Authorities have promised to investigate but hardly any of the assailants have been held responsible.

Serbia is formally a candidate nation for EU membership, but Vucic has been accused of clamping down on democracy, including media freedoms, while nourishing ties with Russia and China.

Tensions also soared Tuesday when police raided the headquarters of the University of Belgrade, saying they were investigating a student's death. The university said authorities were abusing the case to exert pressure following the student-led protests that first started in November 2024 after a train station tragedy in the country's north.

Thousands gathered later Tuesday outside the rectorate building in downtown Belgrade to protest the police action. Scuffles briefly erupted when police pushed protesters away from the building.

The youth-led movement formed after a railway station canopy collapse in Novi Sad that killed 16. It has posed the biggest challenge to Vucic’s leadership in more than a decade.