Journalistic and media associations from SRG: The Center for Social Stability invokes a lynching of Veran Matić with frightening and fabricated constructions.
Journalistic and media associations that are members of the Permanent Working Group for the Safety of Journalists (SRG) are alarmed and disturbed by the airing of the propaganda film "Evil Era 2," which publicly initiates a hunt for Veran Matić and suggests that a reckoning with him is permitted and desirable.
One of the most serious threatening messages in the film is conveyed through a carefully chosen photograph of Veran Matić on Svetogorska Street in Belgrade, at the site of the murder of journalist and publisher Slavko Ćuruvija. The authors must have known that it was Veran Matić, through the work of the Commission for the Investigation of Murders of Journalists, who had been contributing for years to the collection of evidence and insisting on clarifying this crime, as well as that the campaigns of constructed accusations of "treason" and "foreign agents" were part of the atmosphere that preceded Slavko Ćuruvija's murder, which is why such content today appears as a conscious invocation of the same pattern of targeting.
It is additionally concerning that the Center for Social Stability, an organization that acts as a propaganda generator in this film, enjoys public affirmation from holders of the highest state functions: Ana Brnabić considers it a "fantastic non-governmental organization," while Aleksandar Vučić states that it involves "true Serbian patriots." Such messages legitimize the work of actors who create social danger through targeting and insinuations, instead of strengthening the standards of public information and the safety of those working in the public interest.
The aforementioned content also targeted numerous journalists and editors, such as Stevan Dojčinović, as well as Kruna Savović, a lawyer and representative of NUNS in the SRG, which is a journalists' and media association.
Members of the SRG call on the highest state officials to, in accordance with the undertaken international obligations and accepted standards of media rights and freedoms, unequivocally condemn the portrayal of this content and clearly communicate that any targeting of journalists, media, and civil society organizations is unacceptable.
We also expect that state authorities and institutions, through their public messages, leave no room for the relativization of campaigns that incite pressure and endanger safety through insinuations and labels, as well as ensure protection and effective response mechanisms for all those affected by this content, as such campaigns do not only intimidate individuals, but also attempt to silence the entire professional community and discourage any work in the public interest.
Furthermore, we call on the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media to record and establish violations of the relevant media laws through the broadcasting of the film "Evil Age 2" and to act in accordance with its authorities to protect the public interest.
We remind that we condemned the endangerment of Veran Matić's safety by President Vučić, who, on TV Pink during the "Hit Tweet" program, stated that it would be good for Matić to apologize to those who were "arrested, detained, and convicted because of him, and that this should be nicely erased from the records" and that these were "innocent and unjustly accused" people to whom Matić should bring whiskey or a bottle of wine.
In conclusion, we point out that Veran Matić spent a full six years under constant police protection due to safety threats, and it is alarming that the time of fear for his safety has returned.
The SRG, which was established in January 2017, consists of representatives from the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, as well as six journalism and media associations: the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS), the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS), the Independent Journalists' Association of Vojvodina (NDNV), the Media Association (AM), the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM), and the Association of Online Media (AOM), along with the OSCE Mission in Serbia in an observer status.
