The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS) strongly condemns the attack on Večernje novosti correspondent Jelena Stojković, which took place yesterday while she was reporting on a fire at the Meteris landfill near Vranje.
According to the portal InfoVranjske, Stojković was carrying out her journalistic duties when the director of the public utility company JKP “Komrad” from Vranje, Zoran Dimitrijević, arrived at the scene. He first told her that “recording is forbidden,” and then physically assaulted the journalist by grabbing her arm and taking away her mobile phone, which she was using to record video footage.
As reported by InfoVranjske, the police were notified of the incident and took statements from witnesses who confirmed the attack on Stojković.
IJAS stresses that physically assaulting journalists and seizing their equipment is a serious criminal offense and a direct attack on media freedom. This attack is particularly alarming and dangerous as it was carried out by a local official. Such behavior is unacceptable and must be sanctioned in order to prevent further escalation of violence against journalists and to ensure conditions for their safe work.
Journalists in Serbia are not only unprotected by public authorities, but are directly confronted with attacks of all kinds coming from all levels of power.
We remind public officials that they are accountable to the citizens who pay them. They must answer journalists’ questions—not physically attack them or prevent them from informing the public about matters of great importance, such as situations where citizens’ health and property are at risk. Public officials who abuse their positions must be held particularly accountable.
We call on the competent authorities, who have been informed about this attack, to urgently and thoroughly investigate the incident, prosecute the attacker, and ensure the protection of journalists reporting in the public interest.
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS)
Belgrade, 22 July 2025
