The call by President Veran Matić for lynching is an act of political despair and a brutal message against the rule of law.

Veran Matić has dedicated his life to freedom of speech, protecting journalists, and building a culture of solidarity and philanthropy in our country. As part of his charitable work, Veran launched the initiative "Battle for Babies," which has enabled maternity hospitals across Serbia to receive over 220 incubators, thereby saving the lives of thousands of infants. Through the establishment of the Serbian Philanthropic Forum and his leadership of the B92 Fund, he has mobilized the public, companies, and institutions to engage in numerous humanitarian actions in the fields of healthcare, education, and media freedom. He has particularly distinguished himself in collecting and distributing aid during emergencies such as the floods of 2014 and the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating that media influence combined with social responsibility has a direct positive impact on raising the level of social solidarity and finding systemic solutions to issues that directly affect citizens' lives.

Moreover, Veran Matić has consistently and bravely protected the safety of journalists in Serbia for decades—from the founding of the Commission for the Clarification of Journalist Murders, to the SOS phone line for assistance to journalists, which he answered personally, and to his ongoing support for local media across Serbia in the most challenging conditions of pressure and threats. While Matić stood by his colleagues, the state symbolically and institutionally absented itself. The most painful example of this remains the fact that the case of the murder of Slavko Ćuruvija, after all the years and processes, has not received its epilogue or justice.

By calling for vengeance against a man dedicated to truth and the public good, the president demonstrates that he uses his position to attack defenders of freedom of speech, while simultaneously absolving perpetrators and providing protection to those who brutally attack citizens with fists, baseball bats, and cars. With this act, the president continues to openly stand on the side of violence and impunity, clearly showing that crime and violence are not incidents, but state policy.

Therefore, we, the undersigned civil society organizations, call on the relevant institutions to act professionally and responsibly, to protect the personal safety of Veran Matić, and to reject the political practice of impunity for violence, while urging citizens to remain persistent and united in the fight for accountability.

In a responsible society, the head of state, when losing power, does not call for lynching.

In a responsible society, people like Veran Matić are protected and rewarded—not targeted.

Civil society organizations - signatories:

Catalyst Balkans

Civic Initiatives

Youth Initiative for Human Rights

CRTA

Trag Foundation

Belgrade Center for Human Rights

Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia

Smart Kolektiv

Partners Serbia