Monthly Monitoring Highlights August: Ethnic and religious divisions, attacks against the media, journalists, and activists

During August, the RDN monitoring team detected a range of hateful narratives and discourse. This month, we’ve witnessed hate fueled by ethnic and religious divisions, coupled with targeted attacks against the media, journalists, and activists.

Ethnic hate in North Macedonia and Albania

This month in North Macedonia, social media users called for the boycotting of Kipper and KIT-GO supermarket chains, based on the fact that they are bilingual, have Albanian employees, and Kipper is owned by a politician from the Democratic Union for Integration, the largest ethnic Albanian political party and the third largest political party in the country. One of the most notable examples was an Instagram post by influencer Nikola Nikolovski calling on his followers to boycott Albanian markets presenting his “research” where he gives 10 reasons why it’s better to shop at “Macedonian” markets, with one of the reasons being that employees in these markets are Macedonians and speak Macedonian. Nikolovski has over 30k followers and is connected to the Conservative.mk organisation. This campaign had the aim of further provoking ethnic tensions, ever-present in the country. It was not an isolated case, as these types of online campaigns for boycotting businesses, as well as against politicians and certain groups, based on ethnic hate are commonly used in North Macedonia. The call for boycotting along ethnic lines only serves to fuel division and intolerance creating an environment of prejudice and discrimination. Actions like these cause division and undermine social cohesion. An individual such as Nikolovski who has a large platform and therefore influence, should use this space to promote tolerance and respect rather than intolerance and division.

In Albania, sports journalist Ervin Baku appeared on Euronews Albania wearing a T-shirt of the Serbian volleyball team. This sparked a wave of online hate speech along ethnic lines, with numerous aggressive comments emerging, including death threats, particularly from individuals and small social media platforms. The journalist interviewing Baku asked if his shirt was a provocation, to which he said that he simply loves sports and picked a shirt this morning just like he does every day.

“I love Yugoslav and Serbian sports, and let’s not forget that Albania will soon organise the U21 European Championship together with Serbia. I am a person who tries to build bridges, not destroy them, especially bridges that are ready to be opened,” Baku said.

The online response to Baku’s appearance was immediate with numerous hate-filled comments that targeted him. Most of the hate speech has emerged not from the main social media platforms which have a large reach and impact but rather from individuals and small social media platforms.

In one example JOQ News – a popular Albanian online media outlet known for its sensationalist reporting, viral content, and engaging social media presence, often focusing on breaking news, entertainment, and public issues – displayed a surge of hateful comments towards the journalist. These comments included calls for life imprisonment, deportation of his family and extreme insults. 

In response, Baku issued a public and official statement on this Facebook page in which he explained that “The aggressive army of extremist nationalists is being unleashed on me and my image on social media and in the multi-option space of the Internet, turning me into the most threatened Albanian sports journalist within Albania and my national territory!” moreover, he added that “I did not think what this would provoke! This is my mistake for momentarily ignoring the negative impact I am facing and threatened by”.

Alongside his statement, the Union of the Albanian Journalists released a statement in support of the journalist calling on the hate speech towards him to end. According to the Union, the journalist has reported to the State Police’s anti-cybercrime unit, identifying individuals responsible for numerous insults, blackmail, threats, stigmatisation and even physical aggression against the journalist.

Hate speech and aggression against any individual are never justified. The spread of hate speech along ethnic lines, especially when accompanied by physical threats, calls for deportation, or imprisonment, is completely unacceptable. Media outlets like JOQ News should actively monitor the comments on their content and take appropriate action against hate speech. Additionally, social media platforms must not allow hate speech and threats to proliferate on their platforms, regardless of their reach or influence.

Misogyny and trivialisation of violence against women in Montenegro

Misogyny and the trivialisation of violence against women are serious issues in Montenegrin society, as highlighted by events in August involving cases of rape, revenge pornography, and a recent femicide that shocked the nation.

After an article in Vijesti reported on a case involving a girl who was raped and subjected to revenge pornography—the unauthorized distribution of private sexually explicit material— the comment section became flooded with misogynistic reactions and remarks. These comments included attacks on the woman herself, casting doubt on her credibility as a victim, questioning why she had recorded herself, and one even claimed that “rape and filming don’t go together“. To make matters worse, many defended the accused, emphasising that he was “innocent until proven guilty”.

Following a femicide on 22 August, a prominent influencer known online as Radosav Vrbica posted a message on his ‘X’ profile filled with misogynistic content, blaming the victim for “driving him crazy,” thereby justifying the violence against her.

Justifying misogyny, rape or violence perpetuates harmful attitudes that normalises violence against women and justifies its existence. It shifts blame away from perpetrators, erodes accountability, and creates an environment where survivors are discouraged from seeking justice. Rape, sexual assault and revenge pornography are all acts which need to be unequivocally condemned and those responsible must be held accountable.

Targeting of media in Kosovo

At a wedding in Bibaj, near Ferizaj/Uroševac in Kosovo, an off-duty policeman killed an 89-year-old man. The officer turned himself in and provided the weapon he used, after which he was suspended. He was remanded in custody. Media outlet Nacionale announced that the victim was suspected of paedophilia many years ago and that he was related to the husband of Vjosa Osmani, the President of Kosovo. Nacionale reported, under assumption, that this case might be the policeman’s revenge for his two sisters that were sexually assaulted when they were children, supposedly by this man. This media also claimed to have proof of Osmani and her husband discussing the sexual abuse case in a closed Facebook group, as well as proof that the judiciary neglected this case because of “the political influence of the Sadria family”, the family of the president’s husband. The Presidency of the Republic of Kosovo did not respond to Nacionale’s questions prior to the release of the article. Later, Osmani denied any connection with this case, and requested an investigation to be launched against Nacionale and its owner Berat Buzhala, who allegedly threatened the life of the president and her family with these claims.

In response, the Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AGK) reacted, as well as other journalists and analysts, calling her act “a dangerous and unacceptable precedent”. Moreover, AGK noted that the repeated accusations that certain media outlets “work for Serbia” is unacceptable and even more dangerous when it comes from the top of the state. AGK invited President Osmani to file a complaint with the Kosovo Print Media Council (KMSHK) if she is dissatisfied with media reporting. Even though this is a complex case and Nacionale, as well as other media outlets, should not have rushed in publishing information not yet confirmed by relevant authorities, it is unacceptable for public officials to target media by requesting investigations against them, especially someone in such a high position of power.

Political targeting of journalists and activists in Serbia

Tabloid media have reported extensively and harmfully on the protests against lithium mining in Serbia, often targeting activists and public figures who support the protests.  Certain pro-regime media outlets, as well as public officials used names to label the activists, including calling them “foreign mercenaries”, working against their country and attempting to “violate the constitutional order”. Targeting and intimidation did not stop at words, as the Center for Investigative Journalism in Serbia marked 30 cases of arrests, informative interviews with the police, confiscation of laptops and mobile phones, and apartment searches. A particularly problematic case was the reporting on young activist Mila Pajić by the tabloid media. She was labelled an “anti-Serb activist” and shamed for supporting the resolution of the Genocide in Srebrenica. A day later Prime Minister Miloš Vučević accused her of the same things, targeting her in a post on X. Civil society organisations were also targeted through pro-regime tabloids, culminating in a special episode on TV Informer called “Uncovering the financing of the special war against Serbia” where editor Dragan J. Vučićević named CSOs and portrayed them as enemies being paid to work against their own country.

In a separate case, a media campaign was launched against journalist Tamara Skrozza at the end of July and beginning of August. In an interview, she said that “the night between 5th and 6th October 2000 should have looked different”. She was referring to one of the biggest protests in Serbia, after which Slobodan Milošević’s regime was abolished, and a new government was formed. Most tabloid media reported that she said “Vučić was supposed to be murdered that night” thereby, twisting her words. The Ministry of Information sided with the tabloids saying Skrozza’s statement was “an example of hate speech”. Journalist associations expressed their support for Skrozza, however this campaign lasted for a significant period. This type of targeting through media smear campaigns is a common way of intimidating and silencing activists and journalists in Serbia.  Twisting someone’s words is a dangerous tactic; a smear campaign can be devastating, undermining reputations, spreading misinformation, and damaging trust, often without a fair opportunity for the targeted individual or group to defend themselves.

Religious Hate Speech in Bosnia and Herzegovina

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Directorate for Religious Affairs of the Rijaset of the Islamic Community, following the guidance of Reisu-ul-ulama Husein effendi Kavazović, recommended performing the Rain Prayer with the congregation. In response, political analyst Ivana Marić commented on platform X, saying: “We need to patent this ingenious idea for solving climate problems as soon as possible.” Her post sparked a wave of comments on X, including insults, hate speech, and calls for violence. Many accused Ivana of mocking Islam, while also sharing past instances where priests had encouraged believers to pray for rain. Two political parties responded to the backlash against Marić. Naša stranka strongly condemned the hate speech directed at her, while Narod i Pravda rejected any approach that involves insulting, belittling, or ridiculing religious beliefs and feelings.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina any critical or satirical stance against religion and religious leaders tends to gain hate comments, insults and sometimes calls to violence targeting individuals. Although it is important to note the freedom of expression and opinion, the line between free speech and hate speech is fine. Belittling, undermining, mocking and spreading hate towards a religious community is extremely disrespectful. However, it is also important to note that hate should not be countered with hate and in no way are hate speech, insults and calls for violence towards Marić justified. It’s possible to challenge hate without simultaneously perpetuating it.