The claims made in the aforementioned articles that place the Youth Initiative for Human Rights in a different context are entirely false and have no basis in fact. For years, the Youth Initiative for Human Rights has consistently advocated and worked for clean public spaces—clean streets, walls, and squares. Together with citizens, we have removed offensive murals and graffiti from public spaces that spread hatred and incite intolerance and violence. We have insisted on the removal of the mural of the convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić in central Belgrade, submitted more than 300 reports concerning similar murals and graffiti, demanded the cancellation of a public call for the creation of a mural of the convicted war criminal Nebojša Pavković in Ćuprija, and painted over nationalist graffiti in a park at Slavija. For these reasons, we call on the competent authorities to investigate the cases of vandalism involving the painting of hate messages on the monuments to Gavrilo Princip, Borislav Pekić, and Dimitrije Tucović, as well as on the tomb of the National Heroes at Kalemegdan.
We interpret the aforementioned tabloid articles as yet another in a series of attacks against our organization, as well as against all civil society organizations that consistently strive for a just and democratic society. It is deeply ironic that those who support and/or fail to sanction the defacement of walls and facades with images of war criminals are now accusing the Youth Initiative for Human Rights of desecrating monuments to significant historical figures.
Furthermore, this is undoubtedly part of an ongoing campaign against students and the student movement, which for more than a year has been exposed to threats and violence by the ruling regime and media outlets close to it.
This case underscores the vital role of free and professional media in society.
For these reasons, we wish to draw attention to the fact that the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression and the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association have alerted the authorities in Serbia to alarming allegations of pressure and targeting of journalists from United Media, as well as the television networks operating within its framework—N1 and Nova—by state officials, pro-government media, and individuals connected to the ruling Serbian Progressive Party. They also referred to an audio recording of a conversation between the CEO of United Group and the Director General of Telekom Srbija, which indicates intentions to undermine United Group’s media operations and points to the direct influence of the President of the Republic of Serbia on personnel changes and the company’s business operations.
We recall that in October 2025, the Youth Initiative for Human Rights submitted complaints to numerous regulatory bodies and competent institutions in the United Kingdom, calling on them to respond urgently to alarming allegations concerning the involvement of the British investment firm BC Partners— the majority owner of United Group— in undermining media freedoms in Serbia, based on the aforementioned audio recording that was leaked to the public.
The Youth Initiative for Human Rights advocates and works for clean public space—both physical and media space—free from hatred, repression, and disinformation.
