Serbia: Women Press Freedom Condemns Judge’s SLAPP Lawsuits Seeking to Jail KRIK Journalists for Using Public Information
Judge alleges journalists put a target on her back by compiling the "Judge Who Judges" database
Location: Serbia, Belgrade
Date: May 30, 2024
Women Press Freedom expresses unwavering solidarity with KRIK journalist Bojana Pavlović and Editor-in-Chief Stevan Dojčinović in the face of oppressive SLAPP lawsuits brought by appellate judge Dušanka Đorđević and her husband. These legal actions, stemming from KRIK's investigative work on the "Judge Who Judges" database, unfairly target the journalists with claims of privacy violation and draconian demands for financial compensation, a two-year professional ban on KRIK journalists, and a ten-month prison sentence. KRIK is currently facing 16 SLAPP lawsuits. The use of SLAPP lawsuits to intimidate and silence journalists is a blatant attack on press freedom and a dangerous tool to shield those in power from scrutiny and accountability. Women Press Freedom vehemently condemns such tactics, which undermine the fundamental principles of free speech and investigative journalism. We call for the immediate dismissal of all charges against the journalists and urge authorities to uphold the rights of the press to hold power to account without fear of reprisal.
“This type of lawsuit is unprecedented in Serbian judicial practice - we are being sued by a high-ranking judge, and her reputation and influence must not be ignored,” KRIK journalist Bojana Pavlović tells Women Press Freedom about the recent SLAPP lawsuits she is confronting.
Appellate judge Dušanka Đorđević, who controversially presided over the acquittal of the accused in the murder of journalist Slavko Ćuruvija, is suing the KRIK journalists, alleging they have exposed her to danger by making her a target for criminals due to their investigative reporting on the "Judge Who Judges" database.
KRIK has dismissed the lawsuits as an unprecedented attempt to stifle media and prevent reporting on the Serbian judiciary's work and integrity.
“The judge's accusations that we put her in danger are completely unfounded - her profile contains information about her career (which was already available on the website of the court where she works), details about the cases she worked on, as well as information about the properties that she owns. We have not published the addresses of the properties, but only the municipality or city where the properties are located,” adds Pavlović.
The lawsuits seek damages of 760,000 Serbian dinars (approximately €6,500) and demand journalists Bojana Pavlović and Stevan Dojčinović serve prison time and endure a two-year ban on practicing journalism.
Despite KRIK's assurance that it did not publish any information that could compromise the safety of judges, Judge Đorđević claims that the journalists violated her privacy by publishing her name, position in the Belgrade Court of Appeals, and information about the properties she and her husband own.
"This is perhaps the biggest pressure on KRIK so far, but these lawsuits indirectly threaten all other media in Serbia," says KRIK Editor-in-Chief Stevan Dojčinović.
“We have been dealing with a large number of SLAPP lawsuits for years — we currently have 16 active cases, and they are affecting our work in several ways. One is of course, financial, we are a small newsroom. It means that we need to raise enough funds to be able to prepare our legal defense and cover lawyer’s fees. Tackling 16 lawsuits at once means you also have to dedicate a lot of time to replying to those lawsuits, filing complaints, and appearing in court. This all is distracting us from our journalistic work.” Pavlović tells Women Press Freedom.
Judge Đorđević, who has been a public figure since becoming a judge of the Fourth Municipal Court in Belgrade in 2005, refused to explain her assets' acquisition when approached by KRIK journalists.
“Tackling 16 lawsuits at once means you also have to dedicate a lot of time to replying to those lawsuits, filing complaints, and appearing in court. This all is distracting us from our journalistic work”
The judge's husband, Aleksandar Đorđević, is a lawyer who owns several debt collection companies. He has served on the supervisory board of the "Kirilo Savić Research and Development Institute" and has been engaged by the Development Fund managed by the Treasury Administration of the Serbian Ministry of Finance.
“This verdict, if it is in her favor, could have a negative impact on the transparency of the judiciary in Serbia - it will decide whether journalists in Serbia will be allowed to write about judges or even mention them,” Pavlović tells Women Press Freedom.
Women Press Freedom stands resolutely in support of Bojana Pavlović and all KRIK journalists who are diligently carrying out their professional duties to keep the public informed about crucial societal matters. With SLAPP lawsuits emerging as a concerning trend, legal recognition and safeguards against such strategic pressures are vital for press freedom and media integrity in Serbia. The ongoing battle for press freedom underlines the challenges faced by journalists in Serbia as they work to uphold the public's right to information. We call for the immediate and full exoneration of KRIK and its journalists from all charges brought against them. Journalists should be able to report freely without fearing for their safety.
Women Press Freedom is an initiative by The Coalition For Women In Journalism
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.