Serbian journalist Veran Matić, one of the country’s most well-known and notorious media advocates, has been the target of unusual public harassment that has drawn condemnation from international and local bodies.
The image of Matić’s face was stamped on the wanted poster, as if he had escaped justice and urged the public to report him to the authorities. Posters were hung on the streets of the city of Vranje.
Media Freedom Coalition, an organization that brings together press representatives from Balkan countries, attributed the incident to the persecution of a local radio station. Matić took a public stand to defend the tool that motivated the protest against him, according to the coalition.
2 arrested for harassing journalist
Veran Matić is the president of the Independent Electronic Media Association.
In recent weeks, together with representatives of other journalistic organizations in Serbia, he has defended Radio OK and its owner Olivera Vladković from attacks by “criminal groups,” according to a statement from the coalition.
“Posters with Matić’s photo on the streets of Vranje say he ‘destroyed Vranje’,” the organization says. The tracked vehicle is located in that city.
According to information from Serbian broadcaster Insajder, two people suspected of affixing the posters were arrested Thursday (30).
Police are looking for two more people who will be involved and say they have identified the author responsible for the footage.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) expressed its concerns over the “new method of intimidation” that the journalist was exposed to.
????????#Serbia: Posters using “arrest warrant” codes targeting prominent journalist and press advocate Veran Matić were recently posted. #Vranje. RSF expresses its concern about this new method of intimidation and is urging local police to arrest its author immediately. pic.twitter.com/REuxsuwnXy
— RSF (@RSF_inter) 30 June 2022
According to the Serbian media, the building where Radio OK is located was “walled up” by illegal construction, which openly frightened the work of local journalists, closing the windows.
Organizations that defend journalism in the country blame criminal groups behind it.
“The coalition demands that the police find out who is responsible for these posters in Vranje, which appeared after representatives of professional journalist associations visited Radio OK and drew attention to violations of the law and informed the public about criminal actions to protect their colleagues.”
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Serbia ranks 79th out of 180 countries in the RSF’s world press freedom rankings.
The organization points out that the country’s highly polarized political climate exposes journalists to attacks “instigated by members of the ruling elite who have been raised by certain national TV networks.”
While the country is known for some of the most sophisticated media-related laws, media professionals often work in a restrictive environment, including self-censorship.
Cases such as the overt harassment of journalist Veran Matić are rare in the country, but RSF emphasizes that women are most targeted by critics.
“As efforts continue to increase journalists’ safety and fight impunity for crimes against them, Serbian journalists are still far from feeling safe.
This is reinforced by the fact that many serious attacks on journalists, such as the murder of Slavko Ćuruvija in 1999, remain unresolved.”
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source: Noticias
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