RTCG and Reporting on Trans Rights: When Public Broadcaster Allows Religious Leaders to Judge

In March 2024, Radio Television of Montenegro (RTCG), through its broadcasts of the programmes “Dnevnik” and “Argumenti”, as well as in an article on its website, contributed to spreading gender disinformation by presenting unbalanced views, dominated by religious figures, on LGBTIQ+ rights. The topic was the Draft Law on Legal Gender Recognition Based on Self-Determination. …

Monthly Monitoring Highlights October: Ethnic division and sexism alongside unprofessional media reporting in the Western Balkans

During October, the RDN monitoring team detected a range of hateful narratives and discourse fuelled by ethnic discrimination, anti-LGBTIQ+ rhetoric, sexism and unprofessional media reporting. Sexism in Kosovo and Montenegro In Kosovo, a debate was held on TV7+ – a popular television channel in Albania and Kosovo – which focused on the topic of family …

Monthly Monitoring Highlights September: Ethnic and religious divisions alongside sexism in the Western Balkans

During September, the RDN monitoring team detected a range of hateful narratives and discourse fueled by religious and ethnic discrimination and sexism. Religious discrimination in Montenegro On the 4th of September, portal Borba published an article from the unregistered portal Srpska 24, titled ‘Concert for Nermin – Islamization of Podgorica’, in which ethnic and national …

Monthly Monitoring Highlights August: Ethnic and religious divisions, attacks against the media, journalists, and activists

During August, the RDN monitoring team detected a range of hateful narratives and discourse. This month, we’ve witnessed hate fueled by ethnic and religious divisions, coupled with targeted attacks against the media, journalists, and activists. Ethnic hate in North Macedonia and Albania This month in North Macedonia, social media users called for the boycotting of …

TROLL OF THE MONTH: Media coverage of Imane Khelif

The Balkan Troll of the Month is an individual, a group of individuals or a media outlet that spreads hate based on gender, ethnicity, religion, or other diversity categories. The Balkan Troll is selected based on hate speech incidents identified across the Western Balkans region. The Paris Olympic Games, albeit a moment to celebrate diversity, …

Monthly Monitoring Highlights July: Relativisation of obstetric violence, sexism and ethnic tensions

Throughout July, the RDN monitoring team has detected a range of hateful narratives and discourse. This month, we have seen the dangerous revitalisation of obstetric violence alongside hatred based on ethnicity and gender as well as hatred against journalists. Revitalisation of obstetric violence in Serbia In the morning show on TV Prva the Minister for …

The Paris Olympics, Supreme Sportsmanship, or Hatred and Insults?

In a better world, Imane Khelif’s success would be celebrated. Throughout history, women have had a lot to prove. Today, they are put positions where they must prove that they are physiologically women. Some arenas would go as far as excluding them from public spaces, just as in the early days of the Olympics, when …

Monthly Monitoring Highlights June: Telegram groups, sexism and homophobia

Throughout June, the RDN monitoring team has detected a range of hateful narratives and discourse. This month, we have seen hatred based on gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity as well as an incident of image based sexual abuse and genocide denial. Image based sexual abuse in Serbia In Serbia, the feminist organisation OsnaŽene (Empowered women) from …

Monthly Monitoring Highlights May: sexism and genocide denial

Throughout the month of May, the RDN monitoring team has detected a range of hateful narratives and discourse. This month, we have seen hatred based on gender, sexual orientation, genocide denial, and hatred against political opponents. Sexism in Montenegro, North Macedonia and Kosovo. In Montenegro, during the TV show “Some like it hot” on Adria …