ANEM ALARM: A message was sent to journalist Vladimir Mitrić stating that he should have been killed "with a hammer to the head."

Vladimir Mitrić is, as a reminder, a unique case in Europe – a journalist who has been working under police protection for over 20 years. In September 2005, he survived an assassination attempt when a former police officer brutally attacked him with a baseball bat, inflicting severe bodily injuries. In a nearly identical manner, four years earlier, his colleague, Milan Pantić, a correspondent for Večernje novosti from Jagodina, was murdered.

The attacker of Mitrić, a former member of the Belgrade Police Directorate, was sentenced to prison, but for years he enjoyed protection from powerful individuals. For over 15 years, he has evaded paying court-ordered costs to the injured journalist, which exceed the amount of his annual gross salary.

Despite police protection, Mitrić continues to face ongoing obstruction and threats from individuals close to the attacker. During the proceedings, one of the prosecutors who was later excluded from the case commented, "Why didn't he die!" referring to the journalist. At the same time, one of the defenders of the subsequently convicted attacker became a judge while the case was still ongoing.

More than 20 years after the attack, Vladimir Mitrić works and lives in anticipation of a new attack. The user "Beli Bjelica" is now suggesting a mallet as a means for his liquidation.

The latest threat was reported to the Loznica Police Station and the High-Tech Crime Prosecutor's Office.

“We demand that the relevant institutions approach this case of endangerment of journalist Vladimir Mitrić's safety with particular care. The fact that the journalist has been performing his job for over 20 years under constant police protection speaks volumes about the state of society in which the free work of journalists is only possible if they are continuously protected by police officers from a former member of that same police force who attempted to kill him. We also demand that international institutions closely monitor this case and discuss it with the relevant authorities in Serbia. We seek freedom for our colleague Mitrić, as well as reimbursement for all costs he has incurred during this process. If the state is unable to provide justice for the journalist, then it must take responsibility and compensate for the damages suffered by the injured party,” stated Veran Matić, a member of the Permanent Working Group for the Safety of Journalists, President of the Board of the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM), and operator of the Safe Line for Journalists 0800 100 115.

Matić has been following this case for over 20 years, and he himself was under police protection for more than five years, as was Brankica Stanković, the editor-in-chief of Insider Television, which broadcasts the program "Press Don't Shoot."

Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM)

The project “Improvement of the System 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 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 Helpline for Assistance to Journalists and Other Vulnerable Media Workers,” within the EU-funded project “Strengthening Freedom of Expression and Media Freedom in Serbia.”