Actual attacks on journalists, Veran Matić, Belgrade, 17.06.2026.

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Actual attacks on journalists, Veran Matić, Belgrade, 17.06.2026.

Translations: Beograd 

  • Case info

  • Personal info

  • Regional center
    Belgrade
  • Who was attacked?
    Journalist
  • Gender
    Man
  • Victim(s) name
    Veran Matić

  • Media outlet

  • Name of the media outlet
    Anem
  • Type of media platform
    Online Media
  • Source of information about the incident
    Anem

  • Incident Data

  • Date of incident
    17.06.2026
  • City
    Beograd
  • Were authorities informed?
    Case was reported to the police
  • Perpetrator(s)
    Not known
  • Attacked by
    Organized groups
  • Means of incidents and attacks
    In person
  • Type of incident
    Actual attacks on journalists
  • Type of attack
    Physical attack with snatching or damage to devices, cars or other journalist's belongings

  • Action by the authorities

  • Legal status of the case
    The procedure is in the phase of gathering information about all the circumstances of the case
  • Type of violation
    Other

  • Action taken by the journalists' association

  • Was journalist's association informed by the journalists directly?
    No
  • What was the reaction of the journalists' association?
    The association reacted publicly

Veran Matić, journalist and president of ANEM’s Board of Directors, was physically attacked on June 17, 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 on their heads. Although he did not know the reasons for the gathering, Matić estimated that it was an event of public interest and took several photos and videos to inform the public.

While he was moving towards the stairs leading to the main entrance of the National Assembly, an unknown young man approached him, trying to stop him from recording, and snatched the phone from his hand. When Matić said he was a journalist and asked for his phone to be returned, the young man did not respond.

According to Matić, the phone was returned to him only after an order was issued by a man whom Matić recognized as Đorđe Prelić, known as the former leader of the Alcatraz fan group and one of those convicted of participating in the murder of French fan Brice Taton in 2009. In a brief conversation, Prelić told Matić that he “ruined his life” by reporting on TV B92. Matić estimates that it referred to the investigative series Insider, which used to be broadcast on that television.

After the incident, Matić addressed the security guards present in the National Assembly building. The security guard told him that he did not notice the incident and instructed him to report the matter to the police.

The incident was reported to the Stari Grad Police Station in Majke Jevrosima.