N1 TV fell silent for five minutes at 11:55 am on Tuesday as part of the Five Minutes of Thundering Silence observed annually on World Press Freedom Day.

Serbian media organizations warned that the country is still in what they called media darkness and called the authorities to deal with the threats to journalists. They called journalists and media to join in the traditional Five Minutes of Thundering Silence and called the public to protect their own rights by supporting free media.

The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS) released a short video to draw attention to the increasingly frequent threats made against Serbian journalists. The video features journalists who received death threats saying that they would not stop doing their jobs and adding that they all have to show solidarity. Their slogan this year is #nistesami (#youarenotalone). NUNS warned that the public scene in Serbia is dominated by false news and propaganda created by people in positions of political power with hate speech becoming normal in politics.

The Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS) called prosecutors and police to efficiently investigate all the threats against journalists and media and inform the public of their findings. It also called journalists to report any pressure immediately.

It said that the Serb community in Kosovo still has no independent TV channel covering all of Kosovo.

The Nezavisnost Union’s culture, arts and media branch and the Coalition for Free Media warned that the voices of the people who can’t enjoy their rights and others suffering pressure and repression won’t be heard without free media and independent journalism. They added that all human rights are in danger in media darkness with no one being able to feel safe.