ANEM ALARM: Six months of probationary imprisonment and a restraining order due to the harassment of journalist Nenad Kulačin.

“The harassment occurred over an extended period, culminating when Cvetanović attempted to punch me, in addition to all the insults he was hurling. I called Veran Matić, who advised me to go immediately to the police station and report the incident, while he contacted the point of contact at the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office. Both the police and the prosecutor's office reacted very quickly; the perpetrator was apprehended and interrogated. I can say that I am satisfied with the efficient response of the authorities, which unfortunately is not the case with numerous other threats that remain unpunished,” stated Nenad Kulačin.

This is the first first-instance verdict in 2026 concerning attacks on media representatives. In the records of the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office, 25 cases related to the endangerment of journalists' safety have been opened in the past two months.

 “It is extremely important that every threat, as well as harassment or stalking as in this case, is reported to the contact points in associations or to ANEM’s SOS hotline, specifically the Safe Line at 0800 100 115, because only in this way can we do everything possible to prevent the continuation of endangerment to safety and to initiate the prosecution of the perpetrator,” said Veran Matić, President of the Board of the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM), Coordinator of the Safe Line for journalists, and member of the Permanent Working Group for the Safety of Journalists.

He added that this ruling is of exceptional importance since we frequently encounter cases of stalking, but journalists do not always recognize or report them for prosecution. This example clearly demonstrates that stalking can be very distressing and can persist over a long period, but it can also conclude with a judgment as in this case.

Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM)

The project “Enhancing the System of Prevention and Response Mechanisms in Cases of Threats to the Safety and Lives of 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 to Serbia has supported ANEM's project “24/7 SOS Hotline for Assistance to Journalists and Other Vulnerable Media Workers,” as part of the EU-funded project “Strengthening Freedom of Expression and Media Freedom in Serbia.”