The SafeJournalists Network strongly condemns the attack on Veran Matić, journalist and President of the Board of Directors of the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM), which took place last night at around 8 p.m. in front of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in Belgrade.
Matić was attacked while using his mobile phone to record a public gathering of several dozen citizens wearing hats with white ribbons. Although he was unaware of the purpose of the gathering, Matić assessed that it was an event of public interest and took several photographs and videos in order to inform the public.
As he was walking toward the steps leading to the main entrance of the National Assembly, an unknown young man approached him, attempted to prevent him from filming, and forcibly snatched his phone from his hand. When Matić identified himself as a journalist and requested that his phone be returned, the young man did not respond.
According to Matić, his phone was returned only after an order was given by a man whom he recognized as Đorđe Prelić, known as a former leader of the Alkatraz supporters’ group and one of those convicted for participating in the murder of French football fan Brice Taton in 2009. During a brief conversation, Prelić told Matić that he had “ruined his life” through reporting on TV B92. Matić believes this referred to the investigative series Insider, which was previously broadcast on that television station.
Following the incident, Matić approached security personnel present in the National Assembly building. A security officer told him that he had not witnessed the incident and advised him to report the case to the police. The incident was subsequently reported to the Stari Grad Police Station on Majke Jevrosime Street.
The SafeJournalists Network particularly emphasizes that this case must not be viewed as an isolated incident. The attack occurred after months of public targeting, discrediting, and stigmatization of Veran Matić through public attacks by senior state officials, coordinated campaigns in the public sphere, and media content repeatedly aired on television channels with national broadcasting licenses.
When a journalist is portrayed for months as an enemy, a traitor, or a legitimate target, institutions have an obligation to recognize the increased risk to that person’s safety and to respond preventively. In such circumstances, the absence of a timely and decisive response from the competent authorities represents not only a failure in this specific case but also contributes to creating an atmosphere of impunity in which pressure and attacks on journalists become normalized.
When campaigns directed against journalists remain without an institutional response, the risk of further incidents increases, and the message sent to the public is that endangering journalists’ safety is acceptable and carries no consequences. It is therefore of crucial importance that institutions demonstrate their readiness to protect media freedom and the right of journalists to work without fear of intimidation, threats, or violence.
We call on the competent authorities to conduct, without delay, an effective and thorough investigation into all circumstances surrounding this incident, establish responsibility, and take measures in accordance with the law. We expect an immediate and unequivocal response from institutions that will demonstrate that attacks, intimidation, and obstruction of journalists in the performance of their work will not be tolerated. Any other course of action would send the message that journalists are left to fend for themselves when they become targets of pressure and attacks.
The SafeJournalists Network expresses its full solidarity with Veran Matić and will monitor this case and inform relevant domestic and international organizations involved in the protection of media freedom and the safety of journalists.
Pristina – Skopje – Sarajevo – Zagreb – Belgrade – Podgorica – Tirana, 18 June 2026
Association of Journalists of Kosovo
Association of Journalists of Macedonia
BH Journalists Association
Croatian Journalists’ Association
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia
Trade Union of Media of Montenegro