Monthly Monitoring Highlights July: Relativisation of obstetric violence, sexism and ethnic tensions

Throughout July, the RDN monitoring team has detected a range of hateful narratives and discourse. This month, we have seen the dangerous revitalisation of obstetric violence alongside hatred based on ethnicity and gender as well as hatred against journalists.

Revitalisation of obstetric violence in Serbia

In the morning show on TV Prva the Minister for Family Welfare and Demography of Serbia, Milica Đurđević Stamenkovski, said that the testimonies of women on obstetric violence and poor conditions in maternity hospitals are part of the global agenda against childbirth in Serbia.

Đurđević’s statement received criticism online, for relativising obstetric violence, after which she said that her statement was misinterpreted and that she is “maximally dedicated to solving the problem of obstetric violence”. Later, Prime Minister Miloš Vučević said Đurđević “made her mandate available”, however he stated that there is no reason to dismiss her.  Vučević’s lack of interest in addressing Stamenkovski’s statement only served to downplay the serosity of the topic at hand.

The media, meanwhile, began reporting more frequently on obstetric violence and the conditions in maternity hospitals after women started sharing their experiences of abuse during labour, bringing these issues to light.

Regardless, The Minister for Family Welfare and Demography must be condemned for undermining the seriousness and reality of obstetric violence and poor conditions in maternity hospitals. It is her duty, role and responsibility.

Ethnic hatred in Montenegro

During the event of the opening of the monument to Predrag Leovac (a member of the Yugoslav Army who fought against the Kosovo Liberation Army during the war in the 90s), the mayor of the municipality of Pljevlja, Dario Vraneš, gave a speech. In this speech, he made several inflammatory statements targeting both his contemporary political opponents in Montenegro and adversaries from past conflicts, including Albanians from Kosovo. Although he didn’t name these nationalities explicitly, he spoke about “enemies”, “crows”, “unmentionables”, suggesting that friendships with other nationalities are not possible, and he indirectly issued threats by stating that Leovac would serve as a role model for new generations of “Serb knights,” thereby subtly encouraging future conflicts.

Politicians in Montenegro have been giving speeches and statements that can provoke violence and national and religious intolerance. In a multi-ethnic country such as Montenegro, it is extremely important that politicians tread carefully. Rather than issuing statements and making comments that only serve to create a divide between communities, they should be using their platforms to advance the needs of the public and to promote social cohesion.

Sexism in Albania and North Macedonia

In Albania, during a televised debate on the show “360 Gradë,” (translated as 360 degrees) a heated argument erupted between analyst Arben Meçe and lawyer Enida Bozheku regarding  a big case of corruption in the health care system in Albania, specifically in the oncologic department. The case has provoked several manifestations and a lot of social media buzz due to the gravity of the situation and those in turn affected by it.

The heated debate on “360 Gradë” began with Meçe arguing that the scandal was just about “abuse of office” and didn’t involve any deaths. Bozheku disagreed, suggesting that the Special Prosecutor’s Office could investigate. The argument escalated when Meçe told Bozheku to “shut up,” to which Bozheku replied that he should say that to his wife, not her. Meçe then insulted Bozheku, saying her actions were like those of a “prostitute.” Bozheku responded by suggesting maybe his wife was a prostitute and warned Meçe about legal consequences for his remarks. The confrontation became so intense that Meçe ended up throwing his microphone and leaving the studio.

This incident showcases the highly unprofessional behaviour of the two guests on the show and the personal attacks and sexist language used on the public platform. The aggressive exchange and offensive language between the two individuals can set a negative example to viewers, promoting a culture of disrespect, intolerance and not to mention, sexism. Additionally, the escalation to threats and physical actions can create a hostile environment that detracts from meaningful discourse and constructive debate on important issues. In such situations, the producers of the show should immediately intervene to de-escalate the conflict and maintain a professional atmosphere. They should establish and enforce clear guidelines for respectful dialogue and ensure that all participants adhere to these rules to ensure that such escalations, hateful language and sexism is not being displayed on their show.

In North Macedonia, an online portal in7.tv posted a video of Adelina Tahiri and her sister mocking the dialect of Tetovo. Adelina Tahiri is a singer from Skopje, North Macedonia of Albanian ethnicity who has recently been in the spotlight and headlines of the news because she married a Macedonian and so did her brother. Furthermore, Tahiri was seen in a rally of VMRO-DPMNE which is considered to be a Macedonian party.

As a result of the compilation of these various factors and recent events, Tahiri has come under fire including various hateful comments targeting her on the basis of her gender but also on the premise that she has “betrayed” Albanians. In no instance is sexism and hate in any form justified. Comments like those targeting Tahiri merely serve to create further divide within the multi-ethnic country of North Macedonia.

Hatred against journalists in Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina

The public service Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK) reported, based on an the reporting by the Bosnian media outlet “Slobodna Bosna,” that the Kosovo portals “Periskop” and “Nacionale” are allegedly financed by Serbian structures. This claim, based on anonymous sources, was published as part of a text that explores the signing of an agreement between Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz regarding lithium mining. RTK initially reported these media allegedly received large sums of money from Milan Radoičić and served Vučić’s interests. They did not provide any evidence for such claims. After facing criticism for publishing unverified information, RTK revised their broadcast and among other things, removed the two portals’ names. The RTK Board denied changing the broadcast content, but civil society and the Kosovo Journalists’ Association demanded the Board’s resignation, arguing that such claims endanger journalists. These claims were used by a few of ruling party’s MPs as evidence that the two media are critical of the ruling party due to their funding from Serbian structures. Following the broadcast, the ruling party representatives called for an investigation into the portals. Many RTK journalists distanced themselves from the broadcast, warning against using taxpayer money for political attacks.

Zana Spahiu, acting general director of RTK has resigned whereas Jeton Musliu, editor of the main news edition has publicly declared that he distances himself from the incident and has requested his immediate removal from the position of editor of the main news edition at RTK and his reassignment. The Minister of Justice and a couple of MPs of the government were adding further fuel and legitimacy to this news in RTK. The case is still ongoing, and along with other recent events, it proves evident that there is increasing political pressure on the media in the country.

Since coming to power, Kurti’s government has been trying to control the media and media organisations, as well as journalists who are critical of his government and its decisions. The attempt to shut down the respected TV “Klan Kosova” failed, but the government, thanks to the votes of the deputies who make up the majority in the Kosovo parliament, has initiated a change in the law on Independent Media Commission which civil society criticise to have been drafted in violation of  the European Union directives and according to them, it paves the way to a greater control on online news media.  This Government does not even respond to the criticism.      

Regarding this specific case, the media also broadcast an interview with the founder of the BiH portal “Raskrinkavanje”, Darko Brkan, who said that Slobodna Bosna, a portal that produces disinformation like this one, is linked to two media outlets in Kosovo, and that he would not be surprised if this information was indeed received from the Government of Kosovo. “This is also a common way of posting (compiling) disinformation. Here in the region we often see where political actors from one country, Serbia, Montenegro, BiH, collect information in another country and distribute it in their own countries, and so later claim that the news is authentic. Because when the news comes from another country, it looks more credible than publishing it in your own country”, said Brkan.

Journalists should not come under attack of this kind. The spread of malinformation and disinformation is harmful and can put journalists at political pressure and even endanger their safety, making it harder to continue their work. Even though Slobodna Bosna is responsible for the content they publish, media outlets who share content are responsible for factchecking before publishing. RTK has an even greater responsibility towards their viewers, as a public service.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, on Wednesday, July 3,2024, a well-known meteorologist from Bosnia and Herzegovina Nedim Sladić reported that he received messages with death threats. As he said, he received direct death threats just for doing his job – weather forecasting. He also said that he would report these messages of threats to the police adding that he has been suffering from such violence and threats from the same person for the past three years (since 2021).

Nedim Sladić reported about the death threats on his Instagram account, which many websites in Bosnia and Herzegovina have picked up and reported on. They turned his Instagram post into a news story without verifying it through additional sources, such as statements from the police or directly from him.

In a 2021 interview with Detektor.ba, Sladić expressed his passion for his job but admitted that the threats and insults he receives are beginning to take a toll on him. He noted that the disinformation about climate change and anti-scientific comments flooding his inbox often leaves him at a loss for words. Sladić shared that these challenges are causing him to question his effectiveness in explaining the weather phenomena affecting Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the broader planet.

No individual, journalist, or professional should face threats or receive messages that could harm their mental health or endanger their life. Media organisations and radio stations have a responsibility to protect their staff from such incidents to ensure their safety.