IAJS Critical of Serbian Media’s Coverage of Kocani Funeral, Serbian Ministry Reacts, too

On Thursday, the Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia (IAJS) criticised multiple Serbian media’s decision to publish photos related to the funeral of those killed in the nightclub fire in Kocani, saying it was deeply immoral and unacceptable.

“Publishing photos and videos of burial plots, members of an immediate family, and private moments constitutes a direct violation of the recommendations on ethical coverage and of the dignity of the persons it’s about. We’d like to highlight that the Code of Ethics of Journalists of Serbia explicitly prohibits coverage of funerals of private persons and that journalists have the duty to respect the privacy, dignity, and integrity of people, and to protect their rights.

Coverage of funerals and publishing photos is not in the public’s interest. The Law on Information and Media protects the dignity of the person the information concerns, which is why we call on the Information and Telecommunications Ministry to react to the coverage by the Republika, Kurir, Blic, Alo, Telegraf, and Mondo portals”, the IJAS said.

Several hours later, the Ministry issued a public warning and called on Serbian media to remove photos and videos of the funeral in Kocani “that violate the dignity of those killed and their families”.

It also appealed to media to adhere to legal provisions and professional and ethics standards when covering matters of public interest.