A coordinated smear campaign has sparked outrage in Serbia after anonymous leaflets labeling independent journalists as “traitors” with “bloody hands” were distributed on 30 September in Belgrade and several other cities. The leaflets featured photos of Marko Vidojković, Dinko Gruhonjić, Ivan Ivanović, and Sanja Ignjatović Eker, accusing them of organizing a so-called “colored revolution.”
The campaign appears to be nationwide, with similar cases reported in multiple regions. The materials echo fabricated narratives promoted for months by officials and pro-government tabloids seeking to discredit journalists critical of corruption and power abuse.
Observers warn that these defamatory attacks, which reached both private homes and public spaces, are fuelling hatred against reporters who have long been targeted with threats for their independent work. “Such smear tactics endanger lives and undermine press freedom,” noted several media watchdogs, calling on Serbian authorities to launch a full investigation and ensure protection for journalists.
Tensions escalated further when, on 1 October 2025, journalists Vidojković and Gruhonjić received violent threats on social media. One post read, “You carcass should be killed and thrown to the dogs.” Vidojković, co-host of the podcast “Dobar Loš Zao – Ućutati Nećemo” (Good, Bad, Evil – We Won’t Be Silenced), previously fled Serbia in 2023 following repeated death threats. Gruhonjić has faced constant harassment since 2024, when a manipulated video branded him an “enemy of the state.”
Media organizations and press freedom advocates are urging immediate action to protect threatened journalists and end the growing culture of impunity.
“Smear campaigns are not just personal attacks — they are assaults on democracy itself,” they warned.