The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS) strongly condemns a series of brutal death threats, threats of torture and sexual violence sent via Instagram messages to journalists and authors of the show “Dobar, loš, zao” (Good, Bad, Evil) Nenad Kulačin and Marko Vidojković, as well as threats and calls to violence directed at “Radar” weekly columnist Predrag Simonović, which he received through comments on Radar’s website and Facebook account.
Particularly alarming is a message the authors of “Dobar, loš, zao” received from the account aleksandar_dragojevic1: “Wow, this one is killed with a sledgehammer. A bullet would be a waste. A 7–8 kg sledgehammer, though,” followed by a message from the account sekidragan: “No, he would die right away from that sledgehammer. For him it should be a wooden hammer, light, so you have to hit him 100 times for him to die.” In addition to these, other messages included threats of death, sexual violence, torture and abuse.
At the same time, IJAS warns of new threats against “Radar” weekly columnist Predrag Simonović. On 18 February 2026, “Radar” published his text on its official website titled “Are You on the List – A Speech by the Frozen Danube.” That same morning, at 07:19, an unknown person using the name “Duki” posted the comment: “You checked off your own head a long time ago anyway, if you’re spouting such nonsense,” which the journalist, in light of previous incidents, understood as a threat to his safety.
On the same day, the text was also published on “Radar’s” Facebook page, where the user profile “Braco Milan Tolj Cober” left the comment: “Let’s organize to deal with this Ustasha scum… radarss anyway????”.
IJAS emphasizes that such messages are neither “comments” nor “opinions,” but serious threats that require an urgent institutional response. The threats have reportedly been submitted to the Prosecutor’s Office for High-Tech Crime, and IJAS expects the competent authorities to identify without delay those behind the disputed accounts, establish all relevant circumstances, and prosecute those responsible in accordance with the law.
It is especially concerning that the digital space increasingly normalizes brutal hate speech and incitement to violence against journalists, further fueling an atmosphere of lynching and increasing the risk of physical attacks. Inadequate responses by the authorities, failure to resolve attacks and the lack of sanctions further encourage such violence. Therefore, it is essential that institutions demonstrate that attacks and threats against journalists will not go unpunished.
IJAS will continue to monitor these cases and inform the domestic and international public, insisting on an effective investigation and the protection of threatened journalists.
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS)
Belgrade, 20 February 2026
