International watchdog calls for protection of journalists ahead of Serbia election

BELGRADE, Serbia -- An international media watchdog has warned that journalists in Serbia are increasingly under threat of violence and hostility ahead of a high-stakes early parliamentary election next month that will test populist President Aleksandar Vucic 's rule.The Committee to Protect Journalists urged Vucic's government this week to ensure that journalists can follow the Oct. 25 ballot “safely and without fear.”“Journalists covering the polls are at serious risk of threats, violence and hostility of the sort that has become increasingly common” during Vucic's term, CPJ said in a statement released on Tuesday. The group called on “Serbia's European partners to monitor the situation closely, encourage Belgrade to guarantee the rule of law is respected and speak out to challenge violations of press freedom.”The Serbian government did not immediately respond to an Associated Press request for a comment. In the past, Serbia's Ministry of Information has told the AP it condemned any attacks on journalists and urged a quick state reaction. An international mission in March documented escalating police violence, smear campaigns fueled by public officials, persistent impunity, legal...