In Serbia, where those in power often resort to intimidation to silence dissent, the work of independent journalists has never been more essential or more dangerous.
At KRIK (Crime and Corruption Reporting Network), we have spent the past decade exposing corruption, organized crime and abuse of power in Serbia. However, doing this work means facing constant retaliation, smear campaigns and intimidation. As of recently, this also includes a coordinated attack with SLAPPs.
SLAPPs are not about seeking justice but rather about delivering punishment through abusing legal procedures.
From business tycoons to politicians, powerful actors weaponize the legal system to try to shut us up.
At KRIK, we have been hit with a total of 30 such cases over the 10 years of our existence, with currently 17 active ones. Most, if not all of them, are baseless but still require time-consuming and costly legal defenses. These lawsuits drain resources, stress journalists and are meant to send a chilling message: dig too deep, and you will face the consequences.
What keeps us going is solidarity.
The support of fellow journalists, regional and international media outlets, as well as press freedom organizations has made a tangible difference. Public support, joint investigation into SLAPPers and simply knowing that others are watching helps counteract the isolation these lawsuits aim to create.
One particularly powerful form of support comes from Reporters Shield, an innovative program launched to provide legal defense and liability coverage for journalists and independent media under threat. KRIK was proud to join early on. With this backing, both in terms of legal expertise and financial support to counter SLAPPs, we are given the room to breathe and focus on what really matters: uncovering the truth.
However, legal protection against SLAPPs alone is not enough. We must also publicly challenge the normalization of such lawsuits.
They are not “just part of the job”, they are attacks on public interest journalism and, by extension, on democracy itself. Every time a journalist is dragged into court for doing their job, it is not just our right to publish that is at stake, it is the public’s right to know.
It takes immense courage not to capitulate to abusive lawsuits, and solidarity goes a long way.
It helps not only by offering moral support to those standing up to legal bullying but also by encouraging public scrutiny. That is why we initiated the creation of a media solidarity network, joined by two other independent media organizations, BIRN Serbia and the Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation, committed to fighting SLAPPs and supporting each other.
The network functions as a support system rooted in practical actions. We report from each other’s trials, ensuring that courtrooms are not empty and that no journalist is left alone to face the pressure in silence.
We show up in courtrooms to stand shoulder to shoulder in moments when it matters most, not just as colleagues but as fellow defenders of the public’s right to know. We reach out to other media outlets facing similar threats, sharing experiences and our platforms to amplify their stories. We make it clear that targeting one media is a warning shot to all.
At KRIK, we believe investigative journalism is a team effort.
With tools like Reporters Shield and strong networks of solidarity, we are ready to keep going, no matter how many lawsuits come our way.
Guest blog written by Bojan Elek, Project Manager at KRIK
