Politicians and Public Targeted in Online Intimidation Cases

Politicians and public figures under attack

There has been an increasing number of cases involving the political of targeting of critics in the period from January to March. Such actions have a chilling effect on freedom of speech and the press, as well as on the ability of civil society to hold governments accountable for their actions.

President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic addresses the media after the High-level Meeting of the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue in Ohrid, Republic of North Macedonia, 18 March 2023. Photo: EPA-EFE/GEORGI LICOVSKI

On March 30, users of an anonymous forum on the Klix.ba website made alarming calls for the liquidation of two high-profile Bosnian individuals: Foreign Minister Elmedin Konakovic and Nermin Niksic, the president of the Social Democratic Party.  This caused widespread concern and condemnation among politicians and members of the public alike. Many politicians called for the security agencies to take action.

On January 16, Biljana Stojkovic, co-president of the Zajedno party in Serbia, was alarmed when she received a threatening message on Twitter. She reported the incident to the police, but said that she could not shake off the feeling of being watched and targeted.

The same day, Petar Djuric, president of the Citizens' Association, was detained for criticising Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on social media. He was taken into custody by the Service for Combatting Organised Crime, SBPOK, questioned and then later released.

Another incident occurred in Montenegro, where the opposition Social Democratic Party MP Draginja Vuksanovic Stankovic was insulted in obscene and degrading comments on daily newspaper Vijesti's Facebook page on January 12.

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