NIŠ, 10.04.2019. – The Independent Association of Serbia’s Journalists (NUNS) called on the police on Wednesday to solve as soon as possible the traffic incident in the southern city of Nis “which directly endangered N1 local reporter Milan Stojanovic,” N1 carried NUNS statement.
A so-far unidentified driver in a car with Nis licence plates tried to force Stojanovic’s vehicle off the street on Monday by braking suddenly and increasing speed.
The unidentified driver made the N1 correspondent to stop on the very steep road and then speeded away.
The vehicle hit Stojanovic’s car while he was returning from the anti-regime rally #1 in 5 million which he covered in Nis last Friday.
“The unknown drivers deserves punishment for violent driving, but if it turns out he intended to endanger the journalist he should be sanctioned in line with the Criminal Code which stipulates six months to five years of imprisonment for that felony,” NUNS said.
Stojanovic reported the incident to the police which investigated the scene.
On Tuesday, Serbia’s Journalists’ Association (UNS) called on the police to investigate the traffic incident.
“The duty of the police is to provide security for all citizens, especially journalists doing a job of public importance who are exposed to security threats,” the UNS said in a statement.
NUNS recorded the Nis incident as the second physical attack on journalists in 2019. Since the beginning of the year, NUNS said, there were 34 cases of pressure on media professionals and 12 verbal threats.