Insults and threats were directed at the N1 television crew at the meeting held on Saturday in Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia, which was organized by the ruling Serbian Progressive Party on the occasion of Statehood Day. Also, during the previous days, journalist Dinko Gruhonjić received multiple threats via social networks from different accounts.
N1 television reporter Ksenija Pavkov said that she had a dilemma before the rally whether to remove the sponge from the microphone that had the media outlet’s name on it.
She added that she and the cameraman were standing in the square waiting to be included in the live program, when people noticed them and started insulting and cursing them.
“One man was particularly aggressive. He said he couldn’t wait for them to kill all of us who work on N1, and he also said that we should come to RS (BiH) and see what will happen to us. Quite unpleasant,” said Ksenija Pavkov.
In the recording, which was posted on the N1 website, threats made by passersby can be clearly heard.
During the current events in Serbia, almost all independent journalists are targeted.
Journalist and professor at the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad, Dinko Gruhonjić, once again received multiple threats and insults from multiple accounts via social networks, which may indicate coordinated actions. The threats, along with a large number of swear words, also referred to members of his family, especially his children.
“…and you, remember that wherever we meet you, you will eat your tongue”, “…soon you will go to prison, you nit… your bones should be broken and your b…. cut off, you fascist, and you should be expelled from Serbia, you dead dog…”, are just some of the messages that Gruhonjić has received in the last few days.
The Independent Journalists Association of Serbia strongly condemns these threats and believes that the cause of this is the hatred that the governing officials have been spreading towards independent journalists and media for years through pro-government media, among which President Aleksandar Vučič is leading.
The SafeJournalists network also condemns the mentioned threats and calls on the competent institutions in Serbia to react. SJN warns that it is a matter of time when there will be a physical attack on journalists in Serbia and therefore calls, first of all, on the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, to stop insulting and spreading falsehoods about independent journalists and media. The SJN calls on the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications to do everything in their power so that the pro-government media stop conducting smear campaigns against independent journalists.
The SafeJournalists network will inform relevant national and international stakeholders.
Every attack on journalists is an attack on the public interest, democracy, and the rights of all citizens.
Pristina – Skopje – Sarajevo – Zagreb – Belgrade – Podgorica, Feb 18, 2025
Association of Journalists of Kosovo
Association of Journalists of Macedonia
Association BH Journalists
Croatian Journalists’ Association
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia
Trade Union of Media of Montenegro