Threats against the lives and physical safety of journalists, Zeljko Matorcevic, Grocka, 20.02.2023.

IJAS •︎ 20/02/2023

Threats against the lives and physical safety of journalists, Zeljko Matorcevic, Grocka, 20.02.2023.

Translations: Beograd 

  • Case info

  • Personal info

  • Regional center
    Belgrade
  • Who was attacked?
    Journalist
  • Gender
    Male
  • Victim(s) name
    Željko Matorčević

  • Media outlet

  • Name of the media outlet
    Portal Žig Info
  • Type of media platform
    Online Media
  • Source of information about the incident
    Željko Matorčevic

  • Incident Data

  • Date of incident
    20.02.2023
  • City
    Beograd
  • Perpetrator(s)
    Known (suspected)
  • Attacked by
    (ordinary) citizens
  • Type of incident
    life_threat

  • Action by the authorities

  • Court action
    25.05.2023. The court issued a guilty verdict. The defendant was sentenced to prison for 6 months, which he will serve in the premises where he lives, and the measure of banning communication and approaching the injured party for 1 year.
  • Legal status of the case
    Perpetrator is convicted

  • Action taken by the journalists' association

  • Was journalist's association informed by the journalists directly?
    Yes

In the building of the Palace of Justice, after the trial of those accused of burning down the house of journalist Milan Jovanović, a friend of the accused, the former mayor of the municipality of Grocka, Dragoljub Simonović, threatened journalist Matorčević, who was following the trial. Matorčević told UNS: “There were a lot of people in the courtroom watching the trial, and among them was Milan Marcheta, who publicly declares himself a friend of Simonović. When the trial ended, we left the courtroom. I was waiting for my colleague Jovanović to leave. Marcheta came out and passed by me and insultingly asked me what I was doing there, cursed and said ‘go outside, you will get hurt’. I asked him if he was telling me that, to which Simonović replied ‘Yes, he is telling you’, and Marcheta confirmed ‘Yes, yes, to you'”.

Matorčević reported the case at the police station. At first, the police officer refused to receive the report on the record, however, after several attempts, the journalist managed to submit the report, and according to information from the First Basic Prosecutor’s Office, the report was acted upon very quickly. The procedure is ongoing.