Translations: Beograd
Case info
Personal info
- Regional centerBelgrade
- Who was attacked?Journalist
- GenderMale
- Victim(s) nameŽeljko Matorčević
Media outlet
- Name of the media outletPortal Žig Info
- Type of media platformOnline Media
- Source of information about the incidentŽeljko Matorčevic
Incident Data
- Date of incident20.02.2023
- CityBeograd
- Perpetrator(s)Known (suspected)
- Attacked by(ordinary) citizens
- Type of incidentlife_threat
Action by the authorities
- Court action25.05.2023. 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 casePerpetrator 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.