The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), alongside the SafeJournalists network, have strongly condemned recent death threats made against journalists from Serbia’s Tanjug news agency.
The threats, received via email on Monday, warned that any Tanjug journalist setting foot on Kosovo soil would be shot.
According to Serbia’s Special Prosecutor’s Office for High-Tech Crime, the email originated from Kosovo, and has led to the initiation of cross-border legal assistance, with the Serbian Ministry of Justice requesting EULEX’s help in identifying the sender.
The threatening email, sent by an individual using the name “Trim Bardhi,” warned that any Tanjug journalist entering Kosovo would be met with violence.
The email specifically accused Tanjug of propagating Serbian nationalist views and labeled the agency as „a propaganda machine serving the dictator Aleksandar Vučić.“
The chilling message stated:
“Just to let you know that we follow the lies you publish daily about the state of Kosovo and Albanians, just like we follow the movement of every journalist of your pseudo-media agency in Kosovo to the back of their head the next time they set foot on the soil of the republic of Kosovo. We are watching everything”.
Although the Serbian Ministry of Information, represented by Minister Dejan Ristić, initially confirmed that the threat originated from Albania, the Journalists’ Association of Serbia (UNS) revealed that investigations by Serbia’s Department for High-Tech Crime showed that the IP address linked to the email was located within Kosovo.
Global Journalist Bodies Urge Action
In response to the death threats, the IFJ, EFJ, and SafeJournalists network released a joint statement condemning the “gruesome death threats” against Tanjug journalists.
“Journalists must be able to carry out their work, including on Kosovo territory, without fear of being ‘shot in the head’,” the organizations stated. They emphasized that attacks against media professionals not only violate the freedom of the press but also the public’s right to be informed.
The federations called for a thorough and swift investigation into the threats, urging authorities to ensure that journalists are protected and that the perpetrators face legal consequences.
The SafeJournalists network highlighted the increasing risks faced by journalists, noting that death threats have been on the rise in the region. According to the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) platform, 12 incidents of death threats have been reported since January, ten of which occurred online. The network underscored the importance of prosecuting those who make online threats before they escalate into real-world violence.
Cross-Border Cooperation in Identifying Perpetrators
The Journalists’ Association of Serbia (UNS) has also been actively involved in addressing the threats. The organization reported that Serbia’s Ministry of Justice has requested mutual legal assistance from the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) to help identify the individual behind the threatening email. Initial investigations by Serbia’s Department for High-Tech Crime revealed that the IP address linked to the email was located within Kosovo.
„As UNS has learned, the procedure for mutual legal assistance has been initiated through the Ministry of Justice, in which EULEX has been asked to determine the identity of the user, i.e., the potential perpetrator of the crime. Once the information is obtained, a decision on further actions will be made.“
UNS also called on relevant institutions to show resolve in protecting media freedom, starting with prosecuting those responsible for online threats. They echoed the IFJ and EFJ’s stance, emphasizing that the protection of journalists is critical.
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