The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS) strongly condemns the threats, insults and intimidating messages directed at journalists, media outlets and other organisations following reports of the death of Ratko Mladić, the former commander of the Army of Republika Srpska, who was convicted by a final judgment of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Žarko Bogosavljević, a journalist and editor at the Novi Sad-based Razglas News portal, received messages from an anonymous social media account saying: “Come on, let’s meet and see who the war criminal is” and “I’ll shove a cucumber up your a*s.” Such messages constitute threats and an attempt to deter a journalist from reporting.
A threat was also directed via Instagram at Zoomer journalists, underneath a statement by Darko Gligorijević published on the page of the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM). The user of the account “koprivicaanastasija” wrote: “The Ustaša Zoomer who claims that Ratko Mladić is a war criminal should be hit over the head with a shovel.”
Nova television journalist Sofija Vukajlović posted a story about Ratko Mladić on Facebook, after which she received dozens of insults and eventually deleted the post. The user of the account “Zoran Kecman” wrote to her: “You’re a wh*re, just like the mother who gave birth to you, and no one even knows who your father is,” while the account “Kafe Pauza Dorćol” left the following comment: “The criminal is the mother who gave birth to you and didn’t smash you against the concrete… you stinking bi*ch.”
In addition, a message from a person identifying himself as “Bojan Velimirović” was sent to the email addresses of several media outlets, journalists’ and media associations, as well as other non-governmental organisations. It read: “All honourable and decent Serbs can hardly wait for the elections so that, for the 15th year in a row, they can clearly and unequivocally show the descendants of 20,000 Ustaše disguised in Partisan uniforms that their enormous amounts of money and cheap tricks will never work again. LONG LIVE RATKO MLADIĆ! SERBIA IS WINNING! BLOCKADERS ARE USTAŠE!”
IJAS warns that disagreement with an editorial policy or a manner of reporting cannot be expressed through threats, sexualised violence, misogynistic insults or calls for physical attacks. It is particularly alarming that the campaign of insults and intimidation prompted a journalist to remove published content, directly undermining freedom of expression.
We recall that the Republic of Serbia legally and formally recognises the decisions and judgments of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, commonly known as the Hague Tribunal. Serbia accepted the obligation to cooperate with the Tribunal through its membership in the United Nations, UN Security Council Resolution 827 and its national Law on Cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal. Under this legal framework, Serbia extradited accused persons, provided access to documentation and undertook to respect and implement the Tribunal’s decisions.
Article 46 of the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia guarantees freedom of thought and expression, including the freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through speech, writing, images or by other means. Journalists therefore have both the right and the obligation to provide the public with complete and truthful information, presented in the appropriate context, about matters of public interest.
When reporting on Ratko Mladić’s death, it is not sufficient merely to state that he was a general and commander of the Army of Republika Srpska. Responsible and professional journalism also requires reference to the final judgment, judicially established facts, the crimes committed and the victims. Reporting on crimes, including those committed by “one’s own side”, is neither a provocation nor an expression of political affiliation, but a journalist’s fundamental duty to the facts and the public.
IJAS calls on government officials and institutions to unequivocally condemn these threats and stop fostering an atmosphere in which journalists are branded as traitors and enemies for presenting judicially established facts.
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia
Belgrade, 1 September 2026
