Incident
Serbian police strike, detain and disarm journalists covering anti-government protests
The Committee to Protect Journalists documented at least 28 Serbian journalists reporting being struck, detained, sprayed with chemical irritants or having their equipment destroyed by police between June and September 2025 while covering nationwide anti-government protests; the interior ministry did not respond to CPJ's request for comment.1
What happened
Between June and September 2025, Serbian police repeatedly used force against journalists covering nationwide anti-government protests, according to a Committee to Protect Journalists report published September 25, 2025 documenting at least 28 affected journalists. On September 5 in Novi Sad, police kicked reporter Emir Kahrimanovic despite his visible press vest, forced Vreme reporter Katarina Stevanovic to lie on the ground for about fifteen minutes, and grabbed and smashed KTV reporter Nemanja Sarovic's microphone while he was reporting live. On September 1, an officer seized Beta news agency reporter Bozidar Milovac's phone and forced him to delete footage despite his identifying himself as a journalist. In earlier incidents in Belgrade and other cities in July and August, reporters described being struck with batons and shields, sprayed with an unknown chemical substance, and having memory cards destroyed. CPJ's Europe representative called for swift, transparent investigations and accountability for the officers involved; the interior ministry did not respond to CPJ's request for comment.123
What reason was given
Stated justificationNo Serbian official offered a public justification for the specific incidents documented; the interior ministry did not respond to CPJ's request for comment.123
What changed for reporting
Journalists covering the protests described routinely facing physical force, confiscation or destruction of equipment, and orders to stop filming, even when visibly identified as press, narrowing on-the-ground coverage of the demonstrations.3
Timeline
2025
Who acted
| Name | Role in this incident | Office at the time |
|---|---|---|
| Aleksandar Vucic | other | President of Serbia |
| Serbian Ministry of the Interior | enforced | Ministry overseeing police |
Outlets and journalists
| Name | Kind | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| N1 | outlet | affected |
Sources
Claims and evidence
Each numbered claim quotes the source it rests on.
- CPJ called for swift, transparent investigations into dozens of claims of police force against journalists and for accountability for those responsible.
CPJ urges Serbia to conduct swift and transparent investigations into dozens of claims of police violence against journalists, and hold the perpetrators to account,
Serbia police target journalists as anti-government protests escalate, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2025-09-25.Claim 445, checked 2026-09-22. - CPJ said the interior ministry, which oversees police, did not reply to its request for comment.
CPJ's emailed request for comment to the Ministry of the Interior, which oversees the police, did not receive a reply.
Serbia police target journalists as anti-government protests escalate, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2025-09-25.Claim 446, checked 2026-09-22. - CPJ documented at least 28 journalists reporting force used against them by police since June 1, 2025.
CPJ urges Serbia to conduct swift and transparent investigations into dozens of claims of police violence against journalists, and hold the perpetrators to account,
Serbia police target journalists as anti-government protests escalate, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2025-09-25.Claim 447, checked 2026-09-22.