The attacker of N1 cameraman Marjan Vucetic at the Serbian Progressive Party election rally in Makoviste in May this year was sentenced to five months in prison on a suspended sentence.
On November 20, the Higher Court in Uzice found the attacker of the TV N1 cameraman guilty of violent behavior and sentenced him to a suspended sentence of five months in prison and a one-year probationary period, said the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM).
“In this case, the prosecution and the court reached a first-instance verdict in a short period of time. We expect it to be confirmed, but also that the same perpetrator who attacked and injured activist Aleksa Pavlovic in Kosjeric after this attack will be charged and convicted,” said Veran Matic, President of the ANEM Board of Directors and member of the Permanent Working Group for the Safety of Journalists.
N1 television cameraman Marjan Vucetic was attacked from behind while filming a Serbian Progressive Party election rally in Makoviste near Kosjeric. He was punched and kicked several times, first by one attacker and then by several others, with threats, curses and insults. The attack took place in front of SNS President Milos Vucevic, who did not react, nor did the police present at the rally.
“A few days later, the permanent working group for the safety of journalists organized a meeting in Pozega regarding this and other cases. The prosecutor of the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Uzice, Veljko Lazic, informed those present that actions had been taken and that an indictment had been filed against Ljubisa Knezevic for the criminal offense of violent behavior at a public rally in conjunction with endangering the safety of journalists,” ANEM said in a statement.
They also added that out of 98 cases filed before prosecutors’ offices in Serbia since the beginning of the year, only one final and binding verdict has been issued for attacks on journalists, while only three indictments have been filed.
According to NUNS records, there were more than 130 unpunished attacks on journalists and media workers in the past year. ANEM called on prosecutors’ offices, and especially the police, to investigate and prosecute threats and attacks on journalists much more efficiently.
Source: N1
