Briefing | When grifters wield gags
How democracies are using autocratic tools to muzzle journalism
As scrutiny of government withers, corruption thrives
Feb 5th 2026
In November 2024 a canopy on a Serbian railway station collapsed, killing 16 people. The most likely cause of the shoddy workmanship was corruption. Huge protests erupted, and independent journalists reported on them.
Some were then beaten by thugs while cops looked on. Half were beaten by cops. In 2025 there were at least 91 physical attacks on journalists in Serbia, according to the country’s Independent Journalists’ Association. Assailants are seldom punished, which “encourages new crimes against journalists”, says Jelena Petkovic, a local specialist in media safety.