Aladin Paučinac is a civic activist and former local assembly councillor in Novi Pazar who, during the COVID-19 pandemic, spoke publicly about the mismanagement of the health crisis in his city. Through social media and local media outlets, he drew attention to the poor management of local health centres and the disorganised operation of the General Hospital in Novi Pazar.
The story of Aladin Paučinac from Novi Pazar is one of the clearest testimonies of how an ordinary citizen can face a wave of strategic lawsuits whose sole purpose is to silence any criticism. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Novi Pazar was one of the hardest-hit places in Serbia, and images of patients lying in hospital corridors without oxygen spread throughout the country and the region. While local authorities claimed that everything was under control, citizens witnessed something else — a lack of equipment, an unprepared health system, and numerous preventable deaths.
At that time, Paučinac was one of those who refused to remain silent. He gathered fellow citizens in front of the hospital, organised protests, and publicly called for the dismissal of the then director of the General Hospital, Meho Mahmutović. On social media, he spoke openly about conditions in the hospital and appealed for urgent action. The response did not come in the form of dialogue — it came through the courts. The hospital director filed no fewer than 37 lawsuits against citizens and activists who spoke about the problems, with nine lawsuits filed against Paučinac personally. Citizens were sued for any criticism posted on social media or in comments on posts, despite the fact that the hospital director, as a public official, is obliged to tolerate a higher degree of public criticism.
The lawsuits varied: some were civil cases for insult and defamation, others were criminal, and there were even claims for the alleged unauthorised publication of photographs. At one point, Paučinac had to face the threat of a prison sentence. The pressure was enormous — not only financially, with mounting lawyer fees and court costs, but also psychologically, as he knew that each new lawsuit could exhaust him further. Nevertheless, he decided not to back down. In this, he was not alone: local community groups, individuals who organised donations to cover court expenses, and human rights organisations that provided him with essential legal assistance all stood by his side.
First-instance judgments in some cases were not favourable — in one proceeding, Paučinac was ordered to pay 250,000 dinars in damages for insulting the hospital director. Although part of the charges for unauthorised publication of photographs was dismissed, the obligation to pay compensation and court costs remained a heavy burden. Despite this, Paučinac appealed and continued to speak out about problems in the healthcare system, not only in Novi Pazar but across the country. For him, as he says, remaining silent was never an option.
Regarding the crisis in his city, Paučinac stated:“We went all in. We shared information we obtained through our own sources about the mistreatment of patients, incompetence, and chaos in the hospital. It was horrific. Patients were left alone, without adequate care, in miserable conditions, with the deceased next to them. Novi Pazar, in proportional terms, suffered the most in Serbia.”
As a message to everyone fighting for the public interest, he emphasised the need for solidarity and mutual support. In an interview for the portal 037info.net, he noted that he could not have faced these proceedings without the help of civil society organisations and friends who provided legal representation, financial support, and other assistance. This case remains an important lesson for everyone resisting SLAPP lawsuits. Paučinac demonstrated that community support can make a difference, even when the court delivers a painful verdict.
This document was prepared within the framework of the Civil Society Development Hub of the Western Balkans project, financed by Sida, and implemented by the BCSDN.
The content of this document, the information and the views expressed in it do not represent the official position and opinion of Sida and BCSDN. The responsibility for the information and views expressed in this document rests entirely with the author.
