Sentenced to an eight-month suspended prison term for death threats against Ana Lalić Hegediš.
The Higher Court in Belgrade has convicted Milorad Šešum for making death threats against journalist and president of the Independent Journalists' Association of Vojvodina (NDNV) Ana Lalić Hegediš two years ago on the social media platform Facebook.
The perpetrator has been sentenced to an eight-month suspended prison sentence, his mobile phone and SIM card have been confiscated, and he has been ordered to stay at least 200 meters away from the victim's apartment, with a prohibition on any communication with her for one year.
The court ruled that he committed the criminal offense of Endangering Security by posting a threatening message on Facebook from his account named "Praška Šunka" on March 9, 2024, and sending multiple threatening messages to the journalist Ana Hegediš: “I would slit your throat in the center of Novi Sad, I f*** your mother and all the Catholic sectarian Satanic bastards, how long do you think they will let you go, I swear you will find out everything soon,” which caused the victim to feel fear for her life.
“This is the first verdict for a series of threats directed at Ana Lalić Hegediš. A year ago, she was subjected to weeks of similar brutal threats, which forced her to leave the country temporarily with her family. Another perpetrator who threatened her from Paris was apprehended, but the court allowed him to await trial with an electronic ankle bracelet at home, which he exploited to flee the country. A number of other perpetrators have yet to be identified, and threats continue to arrive. We urge institutions to be effective, as only by punishing perpetrators can violence against female and male journalists and media workers be stopped,” stated Veran Matić, President of the Board of the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM), member of the Permanent Working Group for Journalist Safety, and operator of the Safe Line for Journalists 0800 100 115.
Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM)
The project "System for the Prevention of Violence and Protection of Journalists" 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 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."
