ANEM alarm: Campaign against lawyer Ninic, targeting of Nova, N1 TVs - an unacceptable call to lynch

Over the past ten months, Ninic has gained recognition for his legal and advocacy support for students and activists who are subjected to pressure and arrests by the authorities on a daily basis, as well as for his public statements regarding human rights violations and the abuse of institutions, ANEM said.

A post on the X account of Milko Milic (@MilicMilko99), under the headline “Serbian Services Prove That Every Traitor Will Be Discovered and Arrested,” spreads dangerous falsehoods. Among other claims, the post alleges that “the Serbian services, after a year of surveillance, have gathered evidence of lawyer Ivan Ninic’s collaboration with the Albanian occupiers in Kosovo and Metohija,” and further accuses him of being a CIA agent. (Kosovo and Metohija is the official name for what the Serbian authorities consider to be the country’s southern province)

“In the same dangerous pamphlet, the media outlets N1 and Nova S are portrayed as having the alleged goal of destabilizing Serbia, continuing a long-standing campaign targeting these editorial offices, which report professionally and responsibly on socially important issues. We remind you that in a similar manner, through a media lynching and the broadcasting of a video full of lies, the Kosovo politician Oliver Ivanovic was targeted, who was soon after killed in 2018,” the Association noted.

In the past two decades, five lawyers have been killed in Serbia – two murders have been resolved with final court judgments. Three journalists have also been killed, and not a single case has been resolved.

Today, a significant number of lawyers provide legal protection to endangered citizens, students, activists, and politicians who have been attacked, beaten, arrested, threatened, and against whom fabricated processes with absurd accusations are being conducted. They provide crucial legal support, even in cases where prosecutors and courts avoid sanctioning the perpetrators.

The legal protection provided by lawyers, as well as the accurate, timely, and responsible reporting by media outlets such as N1 and Nova S – especially during protests and regarding arrests – is of vital importance for the protection of fundamental human rights. Unfortunately, this often comes precisely from those institutions that should be safeguarding those rights, ANEM said.

Given all of the above, it is clear why Ivan Ninic, N1, and Nova S are currently under attack.

Just as they protect citizens through their professional and humane engagement, it is essential for journalistic associations, media associations, and bar associations to strongly and unequivocally condemn this dangerous call for lynching.

It is necessary to show the highest degree of solidarity and clearly explain to the public that such campaigns are rife with lies and have a clear goal – to intimidate, weaken, and stop all those who fight for justice and truth, on behalf of all citizens.

Violence against citizens is becoming increasingly frequent, and the impunity of perpetrators – whether they come from party-organized structures of the ruling party or from police ranks that constantly exceed their authority – is becoming the norm. This is further contributed to by the unprecedented practice of presidential amnesties.

In such an atmosphere, it is crucial for everyone to know that they are not alone – that they will always be able to rely on legal and media support.

Veran Matic, President of the Board of the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) and member of the Permanent Working Group for Journalist Safety

The project System for Preventing Violence and Protecting Journalists is conducted by ANEM in partnership with Insajder TV and the Center for the Development of Local Media, with the support of the European Union (EU) and the Balkan Democracy Fund.