Serbian journalists' group condemns threats against Veran Matić; media outlets sanctioned

The Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) has condemned a fresh wave of threats directed at Veran Matić, president of the Steering Board of the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM). The UNS urged authorities to swiftly identify and punish those responsible for the online intimidation.

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You are part of the hydra. We will remove the hydra!

This condemnation comes as the Press Council's Appeals Commission determined that the media outlets Informer, Alo, and Večernje Novosti violated the Serbian Journalists' Code of Ethics. The ruling addressed articles published about an incident outside the National Assembly of Serbia, where Matić's phone was taken while he was filming a public event. The articles falsely claimed Matić was the aggressor.

Matić confirmed he submitted an updated criminal complaint on July 31 to the War Crimes Prosecutor's Office regarding new threats received via the social media platform X from an account named '@glisha_m'. These threats were posted under a clip from a show Matić appeared on. The user '@glisha_m' commented, "You are part of the hydra. We will remove the hydra!"

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You are part of the hydra like Veran Matić. WE WILL TEAR YOU APART! You will end up like Afghan NGOs.

Further threats were made on a Facebook page under the name Glišić Milenko, stating, "You are part of the hydra like Veran Matić. WE WILL TEAR YOU APART! You will end up like Afghan NGOs." A photograph of Matić accompanied this post. Matić noted that individuals associated with Afghan NGOs and their workers were targeted after U.S. troops withdrew from Afghanistan. He also observed that the account issuing threats had also targeted numerous other journalists, analysts, judges, and politicians with threats of violence and death.

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It is very disturbing that his journalistic work leads to attacks for which he is concerned about his safety.

Matić previously informed European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, about the numerous threats he faces and the tabloid campaigns against him, requesting security assessment from the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs. Kos's office responded that it was "very disturbing" that his journalistic work led to attacks causing him to fear for his safety. The European Commission reiterated its commitment to media freedom and freedom of expression as central to the EU accession process for candidate countries.

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The European Commission will continue to place media freedom and freedom of expression at the center of the EU accession process of every candidate country.