The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS) strongly condemns the threats made against Veran Matić, President of the Management Board of the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM), via the social media platform X, and calls on the competent authorities to urgently identify the person behind them and prosecute them in accordance with the law.
The threat was posted from the account @glisha_m, together with the message “Let’s cut off the hydra’s head!” and a photograph of Veran Matić. The post appeared below a clip from the programme Bez cenzure, in which Matić was a guest, shared on the social media platform X.
IJAS warns that such threats, effectively constituting a call for the killing of Veran Matić, seriously endanger his safety. They come after a months-long campaign of targeting, discrediting and smearing Matić in pro-government media. The continuous labelling of individuals as “enemies”, accompanied by hate speech and calls for violence, creates an atmosphere in which such threats become an expected consequence.
We reiterate that the failure of institutions to respond in a timely manner contributes to endangering the safety of the person targeted by the threats and sends the message that death threats and various forms of intimidation are tolerated, thereby further encouraging new attacks.
IJAS calls on the police and the competent public prosecutor’s office to identify without delay the person behind the @glisha_m account, investigate all the circumstances of this case, and take the measures prescribed by law to ensure that those responsible are prosecuted.
The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia reiterates that every attack or threat directed at journalists and media workers constitutes an attack on freedom of expression and the public’s right to be informed. Effective protection of journalists and a decisive institutional response are crucial to preserving a safe environment for media work and a democratic society.
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS)
Belgrade, 30 July 2026
