Irene Khan, the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, warned that the international community must closely follow developments in Serbia regarding independent media, stressing that media freedom cannot exist without truly independent outlets.
In an interview with N1, Khan voiced concern over President Aleksandar Vučić’s earlier remarks predicting what would happen to employees of United Media in September and November. She said such statements represent interference in media independence and a serious violation of both Serbian law and international standards.
Khan expressed hope that independent media in Serbia would survive and continue to operate, while also urging the new leadership of United Media to uphold international standards. She emphasized that politicians have an obligation not to abuse their platform, adding that defamation campaigns against journalists endanger their safety and undermine their work.
“When a president calls a respected independent television company ‘terrorist,’ it sends a dangerous message,” Khan warned. “It legitimizes smear campaigns, gives authorities room to mistreat journalists, and encourages the public to discredit them. In other countries, labeling journalists as terrorists has even led to physical attacks.”
Khan described the situation as a direct attack on media freedoms in Serbia, noting that she had already reported two years ago on the toxic political discourse in the country. According to her, the language used by officials towards journalists, human rights defenders, and minorities was already harsh and inflammatory, but the situation has since become “even more alarming.”
She further criticized the collapse of Serbia’s media regulatory framework, highlighting the absence of a functioning Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM). “Without REM, there is no institution to receive complaints or provide legal remedies. This undermines Serbia’s path toward meeting European standards,” she said.
Addressing the recent protests in Serbia and the excessive use of force against demonstrators, Khan stated that the government has failed to uphold its human rights obligations. She noted that peaceful protesters were subjected to violence, including targeted attacks, while complaints of abuse have gone unanswered.
“This is a dangerous, potentially explosive situation,” Khan concluded, stressing that the government’s actions raise serious doubts about its commitment to international human rights obligations.
