Threats against the life and physical safety of journalists, Veran Matić, Belgrade, 18.03.2026.

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Threats against the life and physical safety of journalists, Veran Matić, Belgrade, 18.03.2026.

Translations: Beograd 

  • Case info

  • Personal info

  • Regional center
    Belgrade
  • Who was attacked?
    Journalist
  • Gender
    Man
  • Victim(s) name
    Nemanja Šarović

  • Media outlet

  • Name of the media outlet
    KTV
  • Type of media platform
    Online Media

  • Incident Data

  • Date of incident
    18.03.2026
  • City
    Beograd
  • Were authorities informed?
    Case was reported to the Prosecutor’s Office
  • Perpetrator(s)
    Not known
  • Attacked by
    Organized groups
  • Means of incidents and attacks
    Posts or comments on social networks
  • Type of incident
    Threats against the lives and physical safety of journalists
  • Type of threat
    Explicit - to journalist(s)

  • Action by the authorities

  • Legal status of the case
    The procedure is in the phase of gathering information about all the circumstances of the case
  • Type of violation
    Security threat

  • Action taken by the journalists' association

  • Was journalist's association informed by the journalists directly?
    Yes
  • What was the reaction of the journalists' association?
    The association reacted publicly

During March, the Center for Social Stability continued to target and threaten the security of Veran Matić. The most dangerous post was posted on March 18.

This non-governmental organization close to the government announced on social networks “If any of you see Veran Matić in the next month or two, tell him that he is not the only (pseudo) journalist who grew a beard and to be a little more patient, the sequel is coming soon…”. This post is a serious and disturbing threat, which directly calls for violence.

It is particularly worrying that the message was apparently inspired by Tomislav Nikolić’s infamous statement from 2003, uttered just before the assassination of Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić. In addition, the allusion to the beard additionally opens a chilling parallel with the murdered journalists Slavko Ćuruvija and Milan Pantić.

The threats were reported to the competent prosecutor’s office by the Permanent Working Group for the Safety of Journalists.