Serbian media group condemns threats against journalist Biljana Stepanović

The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) has strongly condemned threats directed at journalist and director of Nova ekonomija magazine and portal, Biljana Stepanović. ANEM called on Serbian authorities to urgently identify and prosecute the individual who sent the menacing messages.

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Madam, we will meet.. Because of the call to lynch Serbian police officers and their families, we will meet. And now run to that same police and ask for protection. You can write that you were drunk, Madam. Because of this, Madam. Belgrade, circle 2, is small. Sooner or later. Madam. You don't have a lieutenant like Staša Zajović. Believe me, Madam, we will meet.

The threats, received via direct messages on Facebook from a profile named "Deana Smith," referenced Stepanović's comments on the social platform X about the wives of police officers in Valjevo. The messages explicitly stated an intention to confront Stepanović, mentioning "Belgrade, circle 2, is small. Sooner or later. Madam." Stepanović has reported the threats to the police and the prosecutor's office, with ANEM filing a report with the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade's Special Department for High-Tech Crime.

ANEM emphasized the need for immediate action to address this latest threat against journalists, urging the implementation of legal measures against those endangering media workers. The association noted a record number of threats, pressures, and attacks against journalists since the beginning of last year. Veran Matić, President of ANEM's Management Board, stressed the seriousness of the threats, pointing out the explicit intention to endanger Stepanović's safety in central Belgrade. He highlighted that numerous attacks on journalists in the vicinity of Pionirski Park have gone unpunished, urging institutions to protect Stepanović and the Nova ekonomija editorial office.

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These threats should be taken very seriously, as they clearly state the intention to endanger Biljana Stepanović's safety, and that in the street in the center of Belgrade, where the largest number of aggressors per square meter are located.

ANEM reminded the public that freedom of expression is a fundamental condition for democracy and that threatening messages due to differing opinions are unacceptable. The state, ANEM stated, is obligated to ensure freedom of speech and protect journalists so they can perform their duties without pressure. The association appealed to all journalists and media representatives to consistently report any threats to their safety, as documenting such incidents is crucial to drawing attention to the increasing pressures faced by media in Serbia from both domestic and international audiences.

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In the vicinity of Pionirski Park and the illegal camp of aggressors, which also covers circle two, dozens of attacks on female journalists and journalists have occurred for which no one has yet been held accountable. That is why we call on the institutions to protect the editorial office of Nova ekonomija and Biljana Stepanović.