ANEM ALARM: Criminal complaint for incitement of hatred against journalists Ina Džakula and Sanja Kosović.
The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) calls on the relevant authorities to urgently respond to the latest case of incitement to hatred against journalists Ina Džakula and Sanja Kosović, reported to the prosecution by Veran Matić, the president of the ANEM Management Board, a member of the Permanent Working Group for the Safety of Journalists, and an operator on the Safe Line for Journalists 0800 100 115.
A criminal complaint has been filed against unknown perpetrators for making public, via the social network Instagram, texts and visual content that incite hatred towards journalists Ina Džakula and Sanja Kosović, whose photographs appear in the controversial post. It is emphasized that they "do not carry Serbian names and surnames," along with highlighting symbols of the Ustaše movement.
The criminal offense was committed solely because the targeted journalists perform work of public significance in the field of public information, as they have no other connection to the context in which the aforementioned text and photographs were published.
Posters with the same content and intent have been plastered in Kula and the corresponding areas of this municipality – Krstur and Kruščić. An imaginary organization called "Coalition Youth Kula" is represented on the so-called organogram, with the slogan "For the Homeland Ready" and the prominently displayed logo of television N1.
At the top of this fictitious project is a photograph of N1 correspondent Sanja Kosović, while in the third row is a photograph of journalist Ina Džakula, with the obvious intent to compromise both the journalists and the media house N1.
"Given that local elections are approaching in this municipality, there is a clear intention to discredit journalists and the media that report professionally and objectively. With these posters, which have been mass plastered in Kula, the safety of journalists is jeopardized, and elements of the criminal offense of racial and other discrimination from the Criminal Code are also present," stated Veran Matić.
Namely, the Criminal Code stipulates that anyone who spreads or otherwise makes publicly available texts, images, or any other representation of ideas or theories that advocate or incite hatred, discrimination, or violence against a person or group of persons based on race, skin color, religious affiliation, nationality, ethnic origin, or any other personal characteristic will be punished with imprisonment from three months to three years.
"In this specific case, theories that incite hatred based on national affiliation or ethnic origin are presented, with implicit messages that the journalists 'do not have Serbian names and surnames,' further targeting and stigmatizing them," Matić stated.
Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM)
The project "System for the Prevention of Violence and Protection of Journalists" is being implemented by ANEM in partnership with Insider TV and the Center for the Development of Local Media, with the support of the European Union.
The OSCE Mission in Serbia has supported ANEM's project "24/7 SOS Hotline for Assistance to Journalists and Other Vulnerable Media Workers," as part of the EU-funded project "Strengthening Freedom of Expression and Media Freedom in Serbia."
