ANEM ALARM: Kidnapping of a journalist's phone in Bečej, attacks in Kragujevac and Belgrade.

Journalist Filipčev reported the attack to the Bačka police, stating that she was covering a gathering of SNS supporters in a public place, that she was wearing journalistic identification, and that a man threatened her after seizing her phone, warning her not to publish the recordings she had made on social media. In her statement to the police, Filipčev indicated that she perceives this as a direct threat and fears for her safety.  

Additionally, while she was reporting live via her Facebook page and filming the crowd around the bus heading to the support rally at the Belgrade Arena, a man approached the reporter from Glas Šumadije, Aleksandra Kostić, and threatened her, saying: “Don’t make me throw that phone on the bus.” When Kostić invited him to repeat what he said in front of the camera, the man began to ironically comment on her journalistic credentials and repeatedly told her “just go away,” while physically approaching her and leaning in towards her and her phone. The reporter had her journalistic identification clearly visible at all times.

The third serious incident occurred in Belgrade, where two men attempted to prevent N1 television reporter Mladen Savatović and his cameraman from photographing a building suspected of being used for reporting so-called phantom voters. Savatović was the target of two physical attacks within two days, both times while performing his journalistic duties. 

“It is evident that attacks on journalists have become an integral part of the SNS campaign for the parliamentary elections. We call on the police representatives present at these events to intervene and prevent attacks or greater consequences, as well as to immediately apprehend the assailant, which did not happen during the attack on journalist Kristina Demeter Filipčev. Local journalists are particularly exposed to attacks, often from members of the ruling SNS who are employed in various public enterprises and institutions. Such attacks carry multiple dangers: the assailants belong to the most powerful and ruling party or actively support it, are employed in institutions through which they can further influence discrimination or other forms of endangerment of journalists, and can affect the prevention or direction of investigations so that they are not punished. Over the past year and a half, Kristina Demeter Filipčev has reported six threats on social media, but none of the cases have resulted in a court ruling. We urge institutions to do their job and protect female and male journalists from increasing violence,” warned Veran Matić, President of the Management Board of ANEM.

Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM)

The project “Improvement of the system for prevention and response mechanisms 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.