The Higher Court in Belgrade convicted Milorad Sesum for making death threats against Ana Lalic Hegedis, a journalist and the president of the Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina (NDNV). The threats were made two years ago on Facebook, the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) said.
Sesum was handed an eight-month suspended prison sentence. The court also ordered the confiscation of his mobile phone and SIM card, issued a restraining order requiring him to stay at least 200 meters away from the victim’s apartment, and prohibited him from contacting her in any way for one year, ANEM reported.
The court ruled that Sesum committed the criminal offense of “endangering safety” by posting threatening messages on Facebook under the pseudonym “Praska Sunka” on March 9, 2024. In a series of messages to Hegedis, he wrote: “I would slit your throat in the center of Novi Sad, I f*** your mother and all the Catholic sectarian Satanic bastards, how long do you think they will let you go, I swear you will find out everything soon.” The threats caused the victim to fear for her life, ANEM said.
“This is the first verdict regarding a series of threats directed at Ana Lalic Hegedic. A year ago, she was subjected to weeks of brutal threats, which forced her to leave the country temporarily with her family. Another perpetrator who threatened her from Paris was apprehended, yet the court allowed him to await trial under house arrest with an electronic ankle bracelet, which he used as an opportunity to flee the country. Several other perpetrators have yet to be identified, and threats continue to arrive. We urge the authorities to be efficient; only by punishing perpetrators can violence against journalists and media workers be stopped,” said Veran Matic, ANEM Board President and member of the Permanent Working Group for the Safety of Journalists.
Source: N1
