The latest campaign in Serbian pro-government media against civil society organizations began in mid-August, accusing them of attempting to overthrow the government in a “color revolution.”
“We condemn the Serbian government’s crackdown on non-governmental organizations and activists amid ongoing environmental protests. The government’s labeling of these actors as ‘foreign agents’ mirrors rhetoric used by anti-democratic regimes to demonize civil society and should alarm the democratic community. We urge the Serbian government to immediately cease its smear campaign and release the dozens of protesters who have been arbitrarily detained,” Freedom House stated in a release.