Monthly Monitoring Highlights – April

During the month of April, the RDN monitoring team identified a range of hateful narratives and discourse driven by hatred towards people with disabilities, political opponents and journalists, alongside sexism, xenophobia and misogyny.

Sexism and misogyny in Albania and North Macedonia

On 20 April 2026, Klan TV aired an episode of “Shije Shtëpie” featuring a studio discussion on gender roles.  During the broadcast, participants repeatedly depicted women as overly empowered and encroaching on “men’s space,” while emphasising traditional gender roles as necessary for family well-being. Eva Sinanaj, a sociologist, stated that “the woman of today seeks to take a lot from men’s space and, in one way or another, mixes traditional roles and positions, which are healthy both for men and women and for the well-being of a family.” Furthermore, Evis Sinojmeri claimed that “this is a kind of indulgence… a woman raises her voice while a man now does not dare to raise his voice” suggesting that men’s authority and voice are being unfairly diminished. Erion Dushi reinforced this framing by stating: “Here we men are to blame, because we have said that you are right even when you weren’t.”

The discussion delegitimised women’s agency by presenting their perspectives as unrealistic, framing gender equality as a social threat and reinforcing unequal power dynamics by promoting fixed roles for men and women.  At the same time, several statements suggested that men are increasingly silenced or disadvantaged, introducing a narrative of male victimhood while simultaneously undermining the independence of women. The overall framing of the segment relied on sensationalist and stereotypical portrayals, reinforcing unequal gender roles and sexist narratives.

The media equally played a role in sensationalising the broadcast, by amplifying the hateful narratives of women being irrational and the pro-women movement being ‘frightening’.

In instances like these, allowing guests on a show to spread sexist and misogynistic narratives without any intervention, is extremely dangerous. The TV station has a role to step in in such moments and contradict such narratives which serve to uphold patriarchal mindsets and traditional gender roles, while undermining women’s autonomy and success. Furthermore, the media should do a better job of not further amplifying these attitudes, but rather, using their platform to uphold women and their independence in society.

In North Macedonia, Stefan Lazarov, a popular YouTuber, claimed during a podcast conversation that only God determines the birth of male children. In the segment, he was heard discussing this idea while speaking with someone on the phone, suggesting a belief that divine intervention specifically influences the likelihood of having male offspring.

Beyond being factually wrong, such claims reinforce misogynistic ideas by suggesting that male children are more desirable and that having daughters reflects negatively on a man. Framing these views in religious terms further distorts both science and religion, turning them into tools for legitimising bias rather than understanding reality. Stefan Lazarov has previously faced public backlash and legal consequences over his content, including being condemned for hate speech after mocking rape in a podcast-style conversation. This is not an isolated incident but part of a pattern of controversial statements that rely on offensive humour, misinformation, and gender-based stereotypes. Individuals like these, who hold a large platform and therefore influence, should not be using their space to spread hateful narratives and misinformation.

Xenophobia in Kosovo

On the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Sexual Violence during the War in Kosovo, Prime Minister Albin Kurti noted that the first verdict for rape committed during the war was issued only in 2021. He further stated that, to date, 1925 individuals, mainly women, have been officially recognised as victims. Kurti pointed out that a large number of survivors are faced with stigma and fear to this day, resulting in them being hesitant to seek justice, recognition and support. He also took the opportunity to note that the application for the recognition of victim status is a step in the right direction towards truth, healing and justice.

The Commemoration of the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Sexual Violence caused numerous comments and reactions on social networks. Specifically, Serbian-language media coverage of the commemoration featured comments which used hateful language toward rape victims and pejorative language to describe Albanians. The media should hold a responsibility to monitor its comment section to ensure that hateful narratives and statements are not spread on their platform. Xenophobia holds no place in society, especially not in multiethnic ones.

Hatred against political opponents in Montenegro

In Montenegro, an online media outlet reported on a video allegedly published by Miloš Medenica, son of Vesna Medenica, one of the country’s most powerful former judicial officials. In the video, it was alleged that Miloš made a series of claims and accusations about members of the Government.

Even though the article referred to the content as “alleged”, it nonetheless reproduced and paraphrased offensive statements, including homophobic slurs and sexually explicit and degrading allegations about public officials. By presenting these statements in detail, the media outlet contributed to the dissemination of harmful and insulting content in the public space, allowing for homophobia and hatred to amplify.

Montenegro is a politically polarised society where public discourse is often characterised by personal attacks and sensationalist reporting. In this case, political criticism is conveyed through homophobic and sexually degrading language, which is then further amplified by media coverage. Such reporting risks normalising the use of hate speech and lowering standards of public debate, particularly when offensive content is reproduced without sufficient editorial distancing or critical framing.

Attacks against journalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Following reports of a planned killing of an investigative journalist and editor of Istraga.ba portal, Avdo Avdić, in January, the Journalists’ Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina issued a statement.

According to official information shared by the associations, a car bomb transported from Zvornik to Sarajevo in January 2026 by members of a criminal group linked to Dino Muzaferović, known as “Cezar,” was intended to be used to assassinate Avdić.

There were also indications of a planned killing of Avdić in 2024. As previously stated by BH Journalists, a member of a drug cartel had been planning his liquidation, and they warned at the time that police protection should be ensured for him and his family. It turned out that the threats to Avdić’s life came from the same person.

In response to the recent threat, the SafeJournalists network and BH Journalists expressed deep concern over reports about the planned killing of Avdić.  The SafeJournalists network stated that this case represents one of the most serious forms of threats to the lives of media professionals in the region and requires an uncompromising institutional response. They called for the urgent introduction of strong and continuous protection measures for Avdo Avdić and his family, emphasising that this case serves as a serious warning that journalists investigating organised crime remain highly vulnerable.

In another case, journalist Dejan Rakita initiated a journalistic enquiry to the Municipality of Jezero about a geological search in the area. In response, the Mayor of the Municipality of Jezero, Snežana Ružičić, published a response in the form of a press release on social media platforms. In her response, she publicly shared a screenshot of the journalists’ email, including other personal data. She furthermore added that the journalist should “engage in investigative journalism” and directed him to read from the Municipalities’ website.

In reaction, the Association of Journalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina, BH Journalists, emphasised that publishing the journalist’s e-mail address violated basic standards of privacy protection and professional communication. They furthermore noted that Ružičić’s statement to “engage in investigative journalism” was an attempt to discredit and belittle the journalist.

They also stated that such an approach represents an unacceptable form of public targeting and discouragement of Dejan Rakita, who has been awarded several times for professional investigative stories on ecology.

Hatred directed against people with disabilities and political opponents in Serbia

In Serbia, the Minister of Information, Boris Bratina, was invited to be a guest on Tanjug TV’s show “Good morning”. While discussing the lack of dialogue between the two opposing political sides in Serbia, Bratina claimed that the Rector of the University of Belgrade, Vladan Đokić, was acting ‘autistic’ during a committee meeting, as he supposedly wouldn’t answer any questions.

Using this condition as an insult is extremely problematic and hateful, as it encourages stereotypes and reinforces stigma. It also enables ableist language, especially coming from someone of such high standing.

Moreover, when asked about the student movement, Bratina claimed it’s good that the youth can voice their opinions, but that they’re unaware that the police have the right to beat them and even kill them. After the interviewer challenged this claim, Bratina responded by saying that, historically, we’ve witnessed a lot of things happening. This is a highly problematic and dangerous statement as it normalises abuse of power and dehumanises protestors. It, furthermore, undermines democracy as it goes directly against the right to protest. Holding conversations like these on a platform with a large audience can run the risk of encouraging hatred to spread or, in worst cases, escalate into violence.