The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS/NUNS) strongly condemns the new threats directed at the newsroom of N1 television, which were once again sent yesterday, this time from a single IP address, using several fake accounts that, according to all indications, belong to the same individual.
In the messages signed as “Strahinja KV,” “Veljko,” and “Bogdan,” horrific threats were made, including setting the newsroom on fire and killing N1 journalists. One message read:
“Brother Vučko, we just need to burn down the entire NDH 1, the whole of it, and Serbia will be at peace for a long time. It has to be done… We’re just waiting for permission.”
What is particularly concerning is that one message directly targets a female journalist with threats of being raped and burned alive, along with messages labeling journalists as “terrorists” and “Ustaše”—a narrative that, in recent months, has been coming from the country’s top officials.
NUNS has reported all the threats to the Office of the Prosecutor for High-Tech Crime, along with the IP address from which they were sent, and demands an immediate response from the authorities. Since it is clearly the act of one person, the case can be quickly resolved, and the perpetrator must be identified and questioned about their motives.
We remind the public that, despite repeated appeals from both domestic and international communities, the Serbian authorities continue to target independent media and label journalists as instigators of “color revolutions” and collaborators of “terrorists.” Such rhetoric directly fuels these brutal threats and endangers journalists’ safety.
The European Union has already raised concerns about this practice. European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier stated a month ago that the EU is alarmed by the growing pressure on journalists in Serbia and expects an urgent reaction from the competent authorities. As emphasized, Serbia is obliged to ensure effective judicial proceedings and bring perpetrators to justice.
We call on the competent institutions to resist political pressures and to protect journalists, and in particular, we urge the prosecution to react without delay. NUNS will inform international organizations and institutions dealing with press freedom and journalists’ safety about these latest threats against N1 journalists.
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS/IJAS)
Belgrade, August 19, 2025
