Actual attacks on journalists, Aleksandar Dikić, Nosi Sad, 24.12.2025.

Translations: Beograd 

On December 24, in Novi Sad, KTV journalist and columnist Aleksandar Dikić was arrested by members of the Ministry of Interior’s High-Tech Crime Unit and subsequently transferred to Belgrade, where he was held in police custody for 48 hours.

This action was preceded by a campaign against Dikić in pro-regime tabloids, which further raises suspicions that the arrest was politically motivated and intended as pressure on the media and individuals who publicly express critical views.

According to available information, Dikić is charged with “inciting violent change of the constitutional order,” while his lawyer, Ivan Ninić, told the media that the journalist had made an “awkward statement” a few days earlier on a YouTube show on Srbin Info, which was misinterpreted. In addition to the arrest, according to reports, the investigating judge, on the orders of the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade, authorized a forced entry and search of Dikić’s apartment, representing a further disturbing example of disproportionate use of coercive powers.

Journalists and media workers carry a special responsibility in the public sphere, as the way they address issues and the terms and expressions they use directly shape public discourse and influence the social climate. It is crucial that journalists insist on precise, ethical, and professional language, aware that every word spoken or written carries weight and responsibility—not only toward the audience but also toward the profession itself. Nevertheless, the measures taken in this case were excessive and disproportionate, especially given the context in which the disputed statements were made.

Particularly concerning is the disproportionate use of measures such as inspecting and searching journalists’ computer hard drives, other storage devices, and mobile phones, as well as recording their contents. These actions directly compromise personal, confidential data and journalistic sources. Such practices constitute a serious intrusion into the right to privacy and media freedom, as well as a dangerous precedent that amounts to direct intimidation of journalists and their sources.

December 25, 2025 – Journalist Dikić was released to defend himself from freedom.

His lawyer, Ivan Ninić, told FoNet that Dikić denied during questioning that he had called for the violent overthrow of the constitutional order and explained the broader context of his statement. At no point did he call for the assassination of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić or for his execution; rather, he spoke about the anatomy of a student movement and student lists, i.e., about a broader social front that such a list should bring together, including some elements willing to resist obedience to the Serbian Progressive Party.