Justice Denied in Serbia: Acquittal in Slavko Ćuruvija’s Murder Sparks Outrage

Feb 6, 2024 – Serbia –

The Belgrade Court of Appeals has overturned the convictions of four former Serbian intelligence officers accused in the 1999 murder of journalist Slavko Ćuruvija, sparking international condemnation and fears of deepening impunity for crimes against the press. The February 2, 2024, ruling definitively acquitted Radomir Marković, Milan Radonjić, Ratko Romić, and Miroslav Kurak, citing a lack of direct and indirect evidence. The verdict is final and cannot be appealed.

Ćuruvija, a prominent critic of Slobodan Milošević and publisher of the Dnevni Telegraf and Evropljanin, was shot and killed outside his Belgrade home on April 11, 1999, during NATO’s bombing campaign against Yugoslavia. His assassination became one of Serbia’s most emblematic unsolved crimes, symbolizing the violent suppression of independent journalism under the Milošević regime.

After years of pressure from media watchdogs and the journalist’s family, the initial trial led to convictions in 2019 and again in a 2021 retrial after procedural setbacks. However, the Court of Appeals’ latest decision wipes away years of incremental progress and closes the case with no one held accountable.

The ruling has provoked strong backlash. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called it “a huge blow to justice” and warned that it sends a dangerous message to perpetrators of violence against journalists. The European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) decried the acquittal as a “grave setback,” while Reporters Without Borders labeled it “an insult to the victim and his family.”

Jelena Ćuruvija, the journalist’s daughter, expressed bitter disappointment, saying the decision proves that “the dark forces of the 1990s still rule this country.” International observers, including the OSCE and U.S. officials, echoed these concerns, questioning Serbia’s commitment to the rule of law and press freedom.

This outcome not only denies justice to Slavko Ćuruvija and his family but also undermines trust in Serbia’s judiciary. It reinforces a chilling reality: in too many places, the murder of a journalist remains a crime without consequence.

Reference – 

Serbia: Court of Appeals acquits suspects of journalist Slavko Ćuruvija’s murder

CPJ condemns acquittal of those involved in the 1999 murder of journalist Slavko Ćuruvija

N°11/2024 – Defendants in the 1999 Murder of Journalist Slavko Ćuruvija Acquitted | Safety of journalist’s platform