Actual attacks on journalists, Nova TV crew, Marina, 4.5.2026.

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Actual attacks on journalists, Nova TV crew, Marina, 4.5.2026.

Translations: Zagreb 

  • Case info

  • Personal info

  • Regional center
    Zagreb
  • Who was attacked?
    Group
  • Group members' names and surnames
    Tea Johman Nitraj, Kristijan Janton and Tomislav Sladić
  • Number of women in group
    1
  • Number of men in group
    2

  • Media outlet

  • Name of the media outlet
    Nova TV
  • Type of media platform
    Television
  • Source of information about the incident
    Nova TV editor, journalist and media

  • Incident Data

  • Date of incident
    04.05.2026
  • City
    Marina
  • Were authorities informed?
    Case was reported to the police
  • Perpetrator(s)
    Known (suspected)
  • Attacked by
    (ordinary) citizens
  • Means of incidents and attacks
    In person
  • Type of incident
    Actual attacks on journalists
  • Type of attack
    Physical attack without physical injury

  • Action by the authorities

  • Police action
    Of the fifteen people brought to the police station to give statements, five were detained. Among them was the mayor, Ante Mamut. 5.5.2026. Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović: “The police reacted very quickly and will continue to respond in this way in every such case in the future. We hope there will be none. So far, six people have been arrested and will be charged with various criminal offences, including coercion against an official person, threats, and violent conduct... We want to send a very clear message that there is zero tolerance for any kind of violence against public officials and journalists, especially those who, due to their work, found themselves where they did, namely above Marina near Trogir"
  • 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
    The association sent a letter of concern to the institutions
    The association informed international organizations and institutions

In the municipality of Marina, after the public was informed about the case of an illegally built cemetery on private land, the situation further escalated during the return of the news crew to the location. The case had previously been exposed in a report by the programme “Poziv” of Nova TV, which revealed that graves had been constructed without the knowledge or consent of the landowner. During the filming of that report, businessman Marijan Ugrina issued direct threats to the crew, demanding that they turn off the cameras, saying “Turn off the camera, I will break your camera.” At the same time, the mayor Ante Mamut refused to give a statement to journalists, offering an incoherent explanation that he did not feel well, and was later arrested by police in connection with the illegal cemetery case.

The day after the report aired, the State Inspectorate ordered the closure of the illegal cemetery. The situation escalated further on Monday, May 4, when journalist Tea Johman Nitraj, together with cameramen Kristijan Janton and Tomislav Sladić, attempted to report live from the location. According to her account, at one point a group of around fifteen individuals approached the crew. While the cameramen tried to protect the reporter, the attackers physically assaulted them, forcibly took their cameras, and pushed both the journalists and the reporter into the team’s vehicle.