ANEM ALARM: New threat to the editor of "Žig info" due to an article about the misuse of the voter list in Grocka.

The editor of "Žig info" has filed a criminal complaint against Vesna Dušić for endangering safety under Article 138 of the Criminal Code, requesting that the prosecution and police urgently investigate and take appropriate measures. Matorčević stated that he feels deep fear and concern for his and his family's safety, which is particularly significant in the context of the attack in October 2018, when the editor of "Žig info" suffered serious bodily injuries. ANEM reminds that a few months later, Matorčević’s colleague Milan Jovanović had his house set on fire. Due to incitement to the arson of Jovanović's house, the former president of the Grocka municipality, Dragoljub Simonović, was sentenced to prison; however, the assailant who attacked and beat Matorčević has never been prosecuted.

ANEM emphasizes that the new threat of physical violence due to the publication of information of public significance, concerning potential misuse of the voter registry, is a continuation of the campaign of intimidation, threats, and insults that is continuously directed at the independent portal from Grocka and its journalists. We remind that in September of this year, Matorčević received a message from the assistant to the president of the Grocka municipality, Bojan Pitulić, in which he was threatened with physical violence. After ANEM and other journalistic associations reacted and condemned the insults and disturbing threats, Pitulić was relieved of his duties.

“Žig Info” has been under constant threat, pressure, and SLAPP lawsuits for its investigative work and critical approach to the local government in the Belgrade municipality of Grocka for the past several years. The former president of the Grocka municipality, Dragoljub Simonović, has filed over 20 lawsuits and criminal complaints against this media outlet. In addition to the beating of the editor and the arson of one of the "Žig info" journalists' houses in 2018, the campaign of violence and threats intensified ahead of the parliamentary elections on October 25. The threats of violence expressed in a phone call are directly related to journalistic work and the publication of information of public significance that sheds light on abuses, corruption, and illegalities in the Grocka municipality.

ANEM warns of increased pressures, threats, cyber attacks, and intimidation faced by its members and many journalists who report professionally and critically on the current regime. “It is important that we fight for every editorial office, for every female and male journalist, for every published text, for every Instagram profile. Whether owners in collusion with the regime try to impose a different editorial policy, as is the case with the portal Nova.rs, or whether colleagues from smaller independent portals outside Belgrade are threatened with physical violence, inspections, and extortion, it is crucial that we stand in solidarity with each other, today more than ever and stronger than in all previous years,” stated Veran Matić, president of ANEM.

**Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM)**

*The project "Improvement of the mechanism for prevention and response in cases of threats to the safety and life of female and male journalists in Serbia" is being implemented by ANEM in partnership with Insider TV and the Center for Development of Local Media, with the support of the European Union.*