The Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Brankica Janković, most strongly condemns the cover page of Ilustrovana Politika, in which the dignity and reputation of the depicted persons is affronted in a scandalous manner – U.S. ambassador in Serbia Kyle Scott and journalists Veran Matić and Ljiljana Smajlović, while the doctored photo of the Renaissance painting of the Virgin by the painter Giampietro presents an insults to the religious feelings of members of the Christian religion.

The Constitution of the Republic of Serbia prohibits discrimination on any ground, and among the bases specifically prohibited are gender, religion, political and other belief. Law on the Prohibition of Discrimination prohibits, inter alia, denigrating treatment aimed at affronting dignity, especially if it constitutes humiliation or insult, and the Law defines propagation of discrimination through public media as a serious form of discrimination. The front page of this magazine unambiguously features all of the above.

The transmission of various views and polemics in the media is permitted, but at the same time, it is the obligation of all media to respect professional and ethical standards of reporting, the Commissioner concluded.

It is not the first time that this weekly magazine has displayed unacceptable and extremely harmful content on its front pages, which in some cases was both targeting and a call to violence.