ANEM: Vučić and Brnabić must urgently stop targeting journalists and the media.

The latest provocation for such unacceptable statements was the news about the detention of war veterans on suspicion of planning to overthrow the constitutional order and attack President Vučić. N1, along with a statement from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, conveyed the remarks of the attorney for the detained individuals, who stated that the reason for the detentions was “intimidation ahead of the upcoming gathering on March 15.”

The President of the National Assembly, Ana Brnabić, commented on this matter on the social network X, stating: “What a monstrous relativization this is and an even more monstrous distortion of reality... (in)direct protection of those who wish to harm the President of Serbia and his CHILDREN... Horrific. And deserving of condemnation.”

President Vučić stated in a public appearance: “...they should have beaten my child to death and butchered him... These are lies they could have read somewhere. And where – you can guess.” He reiterated accusations that lies are being propagated on the N1 and Nova S television stations and added that he had a thousand reasons to shut them down but chose not to.

ANEM reminds us that N1 is one of the most attacked media outlets in Serbia in recent years, with this intensity further increasing since November 2024. According to data from the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS), this newsroom and its employees faced pressures, threats, and attacks at least 103 times during 2025.

It should also be noted that this media outlet has been verbally attacked the most by the highest representatives of the government and politicians. According to data from the Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation, in the past six months, N1 has been directly targeted at least 220 times. They are not only under attack as a media entity, but their journalists, including Žaklina Tatalović, Ana Novaković, Danica Vučenić, Igor Božić, Mladen Savatović, Nikola Radišić, and others, are also affected.

ANEM once again calls on state officials, primarily the President of the Republic and the Speaker of Parliament, to urgently cease inappropriate and potentially dangerous statements about media that report critically and professionally, which typically turn into numerous violent and vulgar threats on social media and are amplified in tabloid media. Data from the Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation indicates that in the last six months, Aleksandar Vučić has targeted media and journalists at least 105 times in his statements and appearances on Instagram or at press conferences, while Ana Brnabić has done so at least 73 times.

“Their statements often become the impetus for the dirtiest campaigns in tabloids that result in threats to journalists both on social media and in real life. These threats have transformed over the past years into physical attacks, the number of which in 2025 is record-high in Serbia's recent history, and the relevant authorities, police, and prosecutors resolve such cases in a negligible percentage,” stated Veran Matić, President of the ANEM Board of Directors, member of the Permanent Working Group for the Safety of Journalists, and operator on the Safe Line for Journalists 0800 100 115.

ANEM also calls on all international organizations engaged in the protection of freedom of speech, media, and human rights to monitor and respond to the authorities' treatment of media in Serbia.

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 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 Hotline for Assistance to Journalists and Other Threatened Media Workers,” as part of the project funded by the European Union “Strengthening Freedom of Expression and Media Freedom in Serbia.”