THE International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) has condemned the recent police raid on the premises of the Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability (CRTA) in Belgrade, Serbia.
This was contained in a statement released by the IFCN on February 25, 2025.
The statement noted that the Serbian authorities conducted the raid on Tuesday, citing unverified allegations of corruption involving USAID funds, a move widely perceived as an attempt to suppress independent media and civil society organizations.
According to reports, the raid was ordered by the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office under what IFCN described as a false pretense of investigating suspected corruption and money laundering.
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The crackdown comes just weeks after CRTA and its fact-checking arm, Istinomer, faced intensified harassment from Serbian tabloid media and online accounts spreading conspiracy theories.
“The police entered CRTA’s premises at the request of the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office, under a false pretense of investigating suspected corruption and money laundering.
“Only weeks after CRTA and Istinomer started experiencing aggravated harassment from tabloid press and online accounts that spread conspiracy theories and false claims about their plans to overthrow Serbian President, Aleksandar Vučić,” the statement read in part.
It added that the Office’s chief public prosecutor, Nenad Stefanović, justified the action by referring to statements made by prominent U.S. figures, including U.S President, Donald Trump; U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio; White House spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt; and billionaire entrepreneur, Elon Musk, now heading the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency. However, these claims of USAID corruption have been widely debunked and remain unsupported by evidence.
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The statement further noted that the police raid on CRTA was part of a broader operation that also targeted three other civil society organizations in Serbia. Authorities seized documents related to USAID donations and conducted interviews with NGO representatives regarding the use of these funds.
IFCN denounced the raids as politically motivated, stating that they represent an unprecedented escalation of government repression against independent media while stating that CRTA and Istinomer, both reputable for their transparency, are being harassed under false corruption claims, noting that Istinomer has met rigorous fact-checking standards since 2017.
“CRTA is a reputable civil society organization, and Istinomer is a respected member of the IFCN community; both are well-regarded for the transparency of their work. These accusations clearly appear to intimidate and harass, rather than investigate real suspicions of corruption. CRTA’s Istinomer has been a longstanding signatory to the IFCN Code of Principles, receiving its first independent assessment and successful approval in 2017.
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“Fact-checkers voluntarily sign on to the Code of Principles and go through a verification process to prove they meet universal standards of transparency, independence, non-partisanship and methodology,” the statement noted.
The IFCN urged global stakeholders to hold Serbian authorities accountable and safeguard media freedom. International watchdogs and media organizations have also been called upon to denounce the Serbian government’s actions and push for an end to its crackdown on independent journalism.
Seasoned fact-checker and researcher Fatimah Quadri has written numerous fact-checks, explainers, and media literacy pieces for The FactCheckHub in an effort to combat information disorder. She can be reached at sunmibola_q on X or [email protected].
