ANEM ALARM: New alarming threats to Mladen Savatović and television N1

Savatović received threats from a person nicknamed "Srećko" in a comment on a news article on the N1 portal titled: "Savatović: I will file a lawsuit against Vučić; he has lost control - yesterday's questions were particularly difficult for the president." In the threat, along with a series of insults and curses, the author also stated that Savatović would be awaited in front of the N1 building. The editorial team reported the threats to the Prosecutor's Office for High-Tech Crime.

ANEM reported today to the prosecutor's office three threats that this media outlet, one of the most attacked in Serbia, received on the former Twitter. Along with a recording of an intruder breaking into a media agency in Russia, a message was published: "I want to break into N1 like this," from the account Патак @471Moe.

In subsequent messages, accompanied by new illustrations, it was stated, "Everything needs to be burned. First RTS…", to which the account Duki @DukiDuk58329475 responded: "Don't go alone; there are those of us who would gladly keep you company."

"In this correspondence, besides these direct threats, the announcement of a break-in at the N1 premises includes disturbing incitement messages and targeting, misogyny, and insults, which create a true 'explosive mixture' that fosters an atmosphere of hatred towards N1, certain female and male journalists, and some other media, provoking a sense of vulnerability and fear," stated Veran Matić, president of the ANEM Management Board, member of the Permanent Working Group for the Safety of Journalists, and operator of the Safe Line for reporting threats to journalists and media.

ANEM demands that the relevant institutions, following numerous unresolved cases of pressure, threats, and physical attacks on female and male journalists, finally begin to do their job and stop the spiral of endangering media safety in Serbia.

We especially call on the highest state officials to refrain from making insults and falsehoods and targeting media that report critically and professionally on the government, as this is one of the fundamental roles of the media in democratic societies. It should be noted that these threats come just two days after Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić publicly targeted the journalist of this television, Mladen Savatović, and made a series of false statements regarding him and the media for which he works.

ANEM has repeatedly warned that such incendiary rhetoric from the authorities towards critical media is potentially dangerous, as it can, and often does, lead to new threats and physical attacks on female and male journalists.

We urge journalists, female journalists, and media representatives to regularly report any form of security threats during the performance of their duties through the Safe Line at 0800 100 115.

Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM)

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 Ministry of Information and Telecommunications of the Republic of Serbia.

The OSCE Mission in Serbia supported ANEM's project "24/7 SOS Hotline for Assistance to Journalists and Other Vulnerable Media Workers" within the EU-funded project "Strengthening Freedom of Expression and Media Freedom in Serbia."