Journalists and media professionals in Serbia strengthened their capacities to recognise and respond to hate speech, discriminatory narratives and harmful media content through  a two-day event organised by the Council of Europe, in cooperation with the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality

The training brought together media professionals, judicial experts, representatives of the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM), Press Council and the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality to address the challenges of identifying hate speech and promoting ethical and responsible journalism, particularly in the digital environment.

A central focus was the distinction between speech protected under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and expressions that may legitimately be restricted. Drawing on the case law of the European Court of Human Rights and relevant Council of Europe standards, participants examined how context, intent, potential impact and the likelihood of harm influence the assessment of potentially hateful expression.  The discussions also addressed concerns raised in ECRI’s 2024 report on Serbia about the persistence of hate speech in public discourse and the need for effective responses, alongside Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)16 on combating hate speech, which calls for a comprehensive approach and cooperation among public authorities, equality bodies, media regulators, media organisations, civil society and other relevant actors.

The training helped bridge the gap between European human rights standards and everyday journalistic practice, providing participants with practical guidance for distinguishing hate speech from protected expression, avoiding the amplification of discriminatory narratives and applying ethical standards in their reporting. It also strengthened dialogue between journalists, regulatory bodies and equality institutions, highlighting their complementary roles in promoting responsible media practices and combating discrimination.

The event was jointly organised under the actions “Protecting freedom of expression and of the media in Serbia (PROFREX)” and “Combating discrimination and promoting diversity in Serbia”, implemented within the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”.