SafeJournalists network after threats to N1 journalist: Attack on journalist is attack on democracy and rights of all citizens

"N1 journalists received threats by email yesterday. A certain Milan M. sent a message to the N1 web newsroom in which, among other things, it was written that the day will come when they (journalists) will have bloody heads, along with a series of swear words, including those that they are Nazis and Serb haters," the association said in a statement.

The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia reported this case to the competent institutions in Serbia.

The SafeJournalists quoted network program director of N1 Serbia, Igor Bozic, as saying that this was just one of a series of threats which journalists of this media receive and that so far no case has received an epilogue. “The threats are more or less the same. The fact is that we have hardly seen that they have found anyone who threatened us or that anyone has been held accountable, and that worries us; that in this country it is possible to threaten journalists on a daily basis, that the prosecutor’s office initiates proceedings, but that in the end we do not find out who are the people who send threats are and that we do not see that the proceedings are brought to an end," said Bozic.

Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia warned of the frequency of threats and attacks against journalists of N1 media and appeals to the competent institutions to urgently react and resolve this case as well as previous threats. IJAS warns that the non-reaction of the competent institutions gives bullies the incentive to intimidate and even physically attack journalists. In 2023, 6 cases were filed in prosecutor’s offices in which journalists of the N1 media were harmed, one of which was rejected, and the rest are still in the process.

The SafeJournalists network, which represents media professionals in the Western Balkans, joined its member IJAS and called on the competent institutions to resolve this case as soon as possible and thus send a message that they protect journalists.