ANEM ALERT: New threats on social media directed at Vidojković and Kulačin.

The latest threats were received on Facebook under a post featuring the program “DLZ with Vidojković and Kulačin” on April 19, in which a user named Branko Brano states: “I’ll f*** your mother and that you’re so fat. I hope to find you BOTH AGAIN I’LL F*** YOU BOTH. AS FAR AS I CAN SEE what you are doing for SERBIA. BUT VIDOJKOVIC, I HOPE TO MEET YOU. And that HORSE with you. And to you Vidojković, it’s better if you don’t run into me. But I would love to run into you. STINKER,” as well as “I’ve put on my gloves, I hope to meet you both. That is, find you. I’ll be waiting for both of you. Regards.”

These threats, which endanger the safety of Vidojković and Kulačin, have been reported to the Prosecutor’s Office for High-Tech Crime by Veran Matić, the president of the Board of Directors of the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM), a member of the Permanent Working Group for the Safety of Journalists, and an operator on the Safe Line for Journalists 0800 100 115.

ANEM reminds that Marko Vidojković and Nenad Kulačin are among the most exposed media workers in Serbia regarding death threats they receive on social media. Since 2019 to date, a total of 26 cases have been opened in the prosecutor’s offices concerning threats to the two of them, of which only three have resulted in convictions.

We once again demand from the relevant authorities, police, and prosecutor's office, to review all cases of threats, pressures, attacks, and other forms of endangerment of the safety of journalists and media workers, as it is unacceptable for media professionals to live and work in fear for their safety. Without safe journalists, there can be no talk of media freedom and quality information for citizens, and the impunity for such cases sends a bad message that attacks on media workers are permissible instead of holding perpetrators accountable for such behavior.

ANEM appeals to all journalists, female journalists, and media representatives to regularly report any form of endangerment of safety while performing their work. A free phone number and direct line for ANEM, 0800 100 115, are available to all journalists, where media representatives can receive explanations regarding the legal treatment of offenses and the procedures that should be initiated to report endangerment of safety to the relevant institutions, police, and prosecutor's office.

Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM)

The project “Improvement of the Prevention and Response Mechanism in Cases of Threats to the Safety and Lives of Female and Male Journalists in Serbia” is 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 to Serbia has supported ANEM's project “24/7 SOS Hotline for Assistance to Journalists and Other Endangered Media Workers” as part of the EU-funded project “Strengthening Freedom of Expression and Media Freedom in Serbia.”