Slovenia: Car of Eugenija Carl Repeatedly Vandalized, CFWIJ Demands Urgent Police Action
The award-winning journalist has been targeted multiple times for her work
Location: Slovenia, Ljubljana
Date: December 12, 2023
Attacks on well-known journalist Eugenija Carl — who has faced years of harassment after a former Prime Minister called her and another journalist “prostitutes” — intensify with multiple car vandalization incidents. The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom is concerned for Carl’s safety. Considering the persistent targeting she has faced for her work. We urge immediate police action to identify the perpetrators and determine the motive behind these incidents.
"Someone is now attacking my car every night. Yesterday morning, a broken wiper awaited me, and last night I intentionally parked under the camera, but it still didn't stop him/her/them," wrote Eugenija Carl on Facebook on December 12, 2023.
The journalist, known for her outstanding reporting, posted pictures displaying the harm done to the car's side mirror and mentioned that the windshield wiper had also suffered damage.
The attacks on her car came after a recent run-in with an unknown woman who shouted at her.
"On Sunday, a woman with obvious serious problems, who lives in my area, harassed me on the road for the second time,” wrote Carl. “She called me a corrupt person who takes advantage of the money and real estate of poor people.”
The journalist raised questions about a potential connection between the car vandalism and the verbal attacks, speculating whether it is a targeted effort against her.
"Is there a connection? Is it a coincidence of timing? I've been parking here for many years, and never even a scratch.”
Carl says she did not engage with the accuser and has reported the incidents to the police.
Over the past few years, Carl has faced persistent efforts to intimidate her. In 2021, she encountered multiple threatening letters containing white powder, leading to a police evacuation of the RTV SLO building where she works. The harassment escalated following former Prime Minister Janez Jansa's derogatory remarks, where he labeled her and another journalist as "prostitutes." The award-winning journalist pursued legal action against Jansa and emerged victorious in the end.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom is deeply concerned about the ongoing harassment and intimidation of Slovenian journalist Eugenija Carl. These acts of vandalism are not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of intimidation that Ms. Carl has endured and are an attack on the freedom of the press and the safety of women journalists. These continuous efforts to intimidate her, following the former Prime Minister's defamatory remarks, are unacceptable and must be addressed with urgency. We demand immediate and thorough police action to investigate these incidents. It is vital that the authorities identify the perpetrators and understand the motives behind these attacks. The Slovenian police must demonstrate their commitment to protecting journalists and upholding press freedom by conducting a comprehensive investigation and holding the perpetrators 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 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.