North Macedonia
Hate speech and ethnic divisions in an anti-Albanian campaign on social media
An anti-Albanian campaign was launched on social media following a post on Facebook from a suspicious closed account. In the Facebook post, the author, without giving further details, said that at the cash register in the “Kipper” market in Gjorce Petrov, a saleswoman refused to tell the prices of the products in the Macedonian language, …
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, …
Music and Hatred: How a Song Caused Ethnic Tensions at a Student Party in Skopje
A student party in Skopje in Spring took an unexpected turn when the playing of an Albanian song towards the end of the event sparked controversy and hate speech on social media. A nationalist group named “Patriotsko drushtvo” (Patriotic Society), self-proclaimed as a “young, ambitious group of patriots filled with enthusiasm,” criticised the inclusion of …
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 …
Monthly Monitoring Highlights April: femicides, genocide denials and hatred aimed towards journalists
Throughout the month of April, the RDN monitoring team has detected a range of hateful narratives and discourse. This month, we have seen hatred based on gender, ethnicity, and hatred against journalists. Femicide in Kosovo In Kosovo, two femicides took place in the month of April over a period of less than a week. At …