Serbia: End pervasive crackdown on dissent and rights

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‘The situation in Serbia is at breaking point. PEN International stands with the myriad writers who continue to be harassed by the authorities and pro-government trolls merely for daring to speak out. The international community must redouble efforts to put an end to this relentless crackdown. We must not forget that without freedom of expression, there can be no sustainable peace.’ said Germán Rojas, Chair of PEN International’s Writers for Peace Committee.  

22 July 2026 – The Serbian authorities must urgently end all attacks on independent writers, journalists, media, academics and other creatives, PEN International said today, amid a persistent crackdown on dissent. The organisation reiterate calls on international actors to help uphold fundamental rights in Serbia.  

The situation for freedom of expression in Serbia – rocked by student-led protests since November 2024 – continues to deteriorate at an alarming speed. State and non-state actors stand accused of escalating violence during the protests, leading to further violations of rights. Independent journalists and creatives remain at risk of physical attacks, verbal threats, smear campaigns and intimidation by public officials, law enforcement officials and individuals – with complete impunity. The space for independent cultural events is shrinking. Artists and cultural workers in Serbia have notably denounced systematic loss of funding, restricted access to public spaces and media, and professional retaliation against those who dare express dissenting views. 

On 17 July 2026, Serbia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs announced it had filed criminal charges against military analyst and author Aleksandar Radić, after he spoke out about the alleged use of a sonic weapon at an anti-government protest in Belgrade on 15 March 2025. An arrest warrant was issued against Radić, who left Serbia at the end of June citing security concerns after pro-government media published surveillance footage of his teenage daughter. The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia spoke out in defence of Radić, notably condemning that his private communications with journalists had been disclosed as part of the criminal case against him.  

Already on 11 July 2026, a group of up to 30 youths verbally and physically assaulted writer Vladimir Arsenijević in Belgrade, as he was planning to hold an event that day commemorating the 1995 Srebrenica genocide. The Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade decided not to initiate criminal proceedings against two assailants who confessed to the assault. PEN International shares concerns that such a decision would deny justice for Arsenijević and further prevent the Serbian authorities from identifying the masterminds behind the attack and holding all those responsible to account.  

Meanwhile, an ongoing and coordinated smear campaign by public officials and pro-government media against Zoran Gavrilović, sociologist and Executive Director of BIRODI (Bureau for Social Research), is emblematic of the mounting pressure faced by independent researchers and academics in Serbia.  

In an open letter to EU leaders published on 12 September 2025, PEN International and PEN Centres from the former Yugoslav region raised profound concern over the alarming situation in Serbia and urged robust EU action. On 29 June 2026, Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić – who routinely refers to journalists as ‘enemies’ of the state – announced he would resign and that early general elections would be held in the next three to four months’ time. With the crackdown on independent voices showing no signs of abating, PEN International calls once again on the EU and its Member States to use all diplomatic and legal tools at their disposal to help uphold human rights in Serbia.  

Additional information  

For more information about PEN International’s work on Serbia, please see Writers under Siege: Defying Silence – its Case List 2026 as well as Toxic Narratives: Silencing Expression in the Western Balkans, available in Albanian, Bosnian, English, Montenegrin and Serbian here.  

The annual report of the partner organisations to the Council of Europe’s Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists deems Serbia a ‘major flashpoint’ for attacks on press freedom in Europe. PEN International is a member of the Platform and contributed to the drafting of the report (available in English and French here).  

Note to editors: 

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