ANEM alarm: There is no justice for the violence against Euronews cameraman Mirko Todorović, which occurred on November 5th.
The Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Novi Sad has rejected the objection of Euronews cameraman Mirko Todorović against the decision to dismiss the criminal complaint filed against Vuk Raonić due to the incident on November 5, when he tackled the cameraman to the ground in front of the SNS premises on Bulevar Oslobođenja while the cameraman was on an official assignment.
Although the prosecution has established that Vuk Raonić undeniably assaulted a Euronews cameraman at a public gathering attended by a large number of citizens, it believes that, despite this, there has not been a significant disturbance of public peace nor a serious violation of public order, and that this does not constitute a criminal offense but rather an infraction. The prosecution will file a request for the initiation of misdemeanor proceedings against Vuk Raonić.
Veljko Milić, a lawyer and member of the Permanent Working Group for the Safety of Journalists, states:
“In this way, the prosecution has sent a message that even in situations where it is indisputably established that a person performing public interest duties in the field of public information has been attacked while carrying out their journalistic tasks, and when the attacker is identified, the attack itself does not have sufficient significance to be interpreted as a serious threat to public peace or a severe disruption of public order. At the same time, the practice of impunity for attacks on journalists continues. On the other hand, for the same criminal offense, the prosecution is pursuing actions against protest participants and even imposing detention.”
“It is necessary to change the practice, as well as the Criminal Code, so that obvious physical attacks on female and male journalists finally become punishable. I remind you that the most severe attacks, such as those on Vuk Cvijić and later on Uglješa Bokić in the past year, have gone unpunished, and impunity only encourages aggressors. We have become a society in which aggressors, under the control of the authorities, seek to regulate the media and discipline journalists, not only with impunity but also with embedded presidential amnesties should the judiciary happen to function – stated Veran Matić, President of the ANEM Management Board.
Therefore, complete solidarity among journalists and media, civil society, and citizens of Serbia is essential to stop the violence against female journalists, male journalists, media outlets, and citizens, and to ensure that aggressors are punished.
Veran Matić, President of the ANEM Management Board and member of the Permanent Working Group for the Safety of Journalists
The project "System for the Prevention of Violence and Protection of Journalists" is implemented by ANEM in partnership with Insajder TV and the Center for the Development of Local Media, with the support of the European Union and the Balkan Fund for Democracy.
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