The Anti-Disinformation Network for the Balkans (ADN-Balkans) condemns the physical attack on the journalist of the Serbian fact-checking outlet Istinomer that took place on April 15 while she was covering the encampment of pro-government counter-protestors in front of the Parliament in Belgrade.

The video recording published by Istinomer shows that a male person attacks the journalist striking her over her hand, even though she was wearing an ID and introduced herself as journalist. Istinomer also reported that after the assault the journalist contacted the police officer standing nearby who only responded with “Be careful, they act that way towards us too.”

ADN-Balkans condemns the attack on the journalist and expresses support for the team of Istinomer and their publisher CRTA, which have been under constant pressure by Serbian government and pro-government structures for several years. Istinomer is a certified member of the International Fact-Checking Network and the European Fact-Checking Standards Network, which adheres to the highest levels of implementation of professional standards and journalist ethics.

The attack on the journalist of Istinomer prompted reactions by the journalist associations from Serbia, including The Independent Journalist Association of Serbia – NUNS and the  Journalists’ Association of Serbia – UNS.

This case reflects the daily reality of independent and professional journalist organizations in the Balkans region, which are targeted by physical and verbal attacks, cyber-attacks, smear campaigns of defamation and intimidation for their work, in particular those working on debunking disinformation and initiating public debate about their sources and channels for distribution.

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ADN-Balkans (antidisinfo.net) is a network composed of 18 leading media and think-tank organizations from Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey to promote cooperation between civil society organizations, media outlets, educational institutions and all other relevant stakeholders, with a goal of forming a wide front on countering disinformation through affirmation of the highest standards of fact-checking and all other ethical principles of professional journalism, as well as promoting media literacy and critical thinking.