Serbia: Hackers Attempt to Access Ivana Milosavljević’s Social Media Account
Second cyberattack against the journalist in a week
Location: Serbia, Belgrade
Date: January 25, 2024
Investigative journalist Ivana Milosavljević encountered a targeted cyberattack when she tried to access her Instagram profile. The journalist, who works on sensitive investigations for her outlet, has repeatedly faced hacking attempts. Recognizing the severity of the situation, Milosavljević reported the attempted attacks to the Special Prosecutor’s Office for High-Tech Crime. The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom commends Milosavljević for taking this step and calls for a thorough investigation to identify and hold accountable those responsible for these attacks.
On January 25, 2024, the instagram account of Ivana Milosavljević, a reporter with the Center for Investigative Journalism in Belgrade, was targeted in an attempted hacking attack. When trying to open her Instagram, she received multiple messages containing data and instructions for altering her Instagram account settings. Milosavljević says there was a similar attempt to hack her account the previous week. Fearing the incident was connected to her work, she reported the attempted hack to the cybercrime unit.
Milosavljević is an investigative reporter with a special focus on corruption and misuse of public finances. Investigating corruption, particularly related to state institutions and political parties, is particularly challenging in Serbia. The exposure of corruption by journalists often leads to targeted attacks by politicians, involving vicious smear campaigns amplified by pro-regime tabloids. This hostile environment is further exacerbated by Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP) cases, which not only suppress free press but also exert financial pressure on those dedicated to unveiling wrongdoing. Independent Serbian outlet KIRK has faced a staggering 13 lawsuits for its efforts in exposing state corruption, highlighting the severity of legal harassment faced by investigative journalism. The regional investigative outlet Balkan Insight Reporting Network has also found itself targeted.
This attempt to hack into Milosavljević’s social media account is worrisome. The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom is alarmed by the apparent deliberate nature of these attacks. Ivana Milosavljević has been actively engaged in investigative journalism, producing stories that shed light on important issues. The repeated attempts to compromise her social media profiles raise suspicions that these actions are not random but an orchestrated effort to obstruct her journalistic work. We urge the Special Prosecutor’s Office for High-Tech Crime to treat the journalist’s report with the utmost seriousness and to identify and hold those attempting to hack Milosavljević’s Instagram profile to account.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help women career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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