Bringing and detaining Zoomer journalists – abuse of authority and a classic SLAPP procedure

After giving a statement, Gligorijević was detained as a suspect for allegedly disturbing public order and peace through shouting and uproar, which will lead to the initiation of misdemeanor proceedings against him. This raises the question: If the journalist is charged with committing a misdemeanor, on what grounds was he detained by the police?

After Gligorijević was released from custody, attorney Nina Nicović stated to N1: “It is good that the presiding judge assessed that there is no basis for an urgent decision on whether they really did what they are accused of, especially in the case of the journalist, who was allegedly making noise and commotion. Since he was recording the entire time, his voice would have been heard on that microphone if he had indeed been doing that... I believe he should have been released last night. I think this is an abuse of authority regarding the entire procedure. This is a classic SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) action against a journalist, as he must do his job. If we already have recordings showing that he did nothing wrong, I consider this an abuse of the entire judicial and police procedure to keep him detained at all.”

Journalist Darko Gligorijević recorded the entire incident on his mobile phone for reporting purposes. A review of the footage could easily establish that the journalist did not commit the alleged offense. It is absolutely unacceptable for journalists to be restricted in any way, especially to be detained after being apprehended and having facts established, and for their working tools, in this case, a mobile phone, to be confiscated.

This is a new trend in the repression against journalists and media, who are being prohibited from reporting, most often through physical assaults by thugs from the ruling party's security, in the presence of police who do not react. In this case, police members took it a step further and detained the journalist at the prosecutor's office, after which he was unjustifiably held in custody.

ANEM once again warns the public about the dangers faced by media workers, whose job is to report on events in which they have a legitimate interest in being informed. Prosecuting journalists represents the prosecution of the public's power to witness events and hear the truth about them.

We call upon the relevant state authorities to urgently cease their actions: to stop exerting horrendous pressure on the defenders of the public interest in an attempt to protect private interests.

Veran Matić, President of the ANEM Board