Serbia: Russian Journalist Natalya Tyshkevich Detained at Belgrade Airport for 40 Hours

Living in exile in Germany, the reporter was convicted by Russia for her critical reporting

Location: Serbia, Belgrade
Date: August 7, 2023

Natalya Tyshkevich, former editor for the Russian student magazine DOXA, was detained at Belgrade airport and denied entry by Serbian officials. Tyshkevich, previously convicted for her journalism in Russia, was sent back to Malta 40 hours later. The Coalition For Women In Journalism demands Serbian officials stop harassing Russians who are critical of the Kremlin.

"I had a panic attack in front of the police officers when they showed me the cell,” Natalya Tyshkevich told RFE/RL. “But they shouted and insisted I go inside, or they would put me into a real prison.”

On August 7, Tyshkevich, who lives in Germany, was denied entry to Serbia and forced to sit in a cell at Belgrade airport for approximately 40 hours before being allowed to fly back to Malta, where she had vacationed.

Tyshkevich described the detention as unnecessary. She could have simply waited at the airport for her return flight. During her detention, Tyshkevich claims she was provided with minimal food, further adding to the distress of her nearly two-day custody.

She explained that she had traveled from Malta to Belgrade on August 7 using a "tourist passport" issued by Germany. Russian authorities confiscated Tyshkevich’s Russian passport in connection to a criminal case against her.

In April 2021, Tyshkevich was one of four former editors of the student publication DOXA in Russia sentenced to two years of corrective labor and a three-year ban from administering websites. They were found guilty in a case involving support for opposition figure Alexei Navalny. The charges stemmed from a video in which the journalists explained that threats to expel students for participating in protests were illegal.

Despite requests for information regarding the details of the detention and the reason behind her denial of entry, Serbia's Interior Ministry has not responded.

Tyshkevich's case is just one example of Russians facing obstacles due to their anti-Kremlin views. Several others have reported being denied visits or other privileges by Serbian authorities. Despite pressure from the EU to join Western sanctions against Russia for its actions in Ukraine, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has refrained from taking such measures.

Russian pro-democracy activists in Serbia staged a protest on July 30, following reports that at least two other Russians with anti-war views had encountered difficulties with Serbian officials in terms of entry or residency. In July, Serbia refused to extend the temporary residence permit of Russian anti-war activist Vladimir Volokhonsky and, shortly after, denied entry to Peter Nikitin, a Russian national who co-founded the nongovernmental organization Russian Democratic Society alongside Volokhonsky.

Serbian authorities appear to be targeting outspoken critics of the Russian government and weaponizing permits and entry to the country to intimidate anti-war activists and journalists. The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the unjust detention of Natalya Tyshkevich by Serbian authorities at Belgrade airport. We call on Serbia’s Interior Ministry to explain why the journalist was denied entry and locked in a cell for almost 40 hours. We urge authorities to allow entry to all journalists. 

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 female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.