The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS) strongly protests the unlawful summoning and detention of Zoomer journalist Darko Gligorijević, who was merely performing his journalistic duties during last night’s incident at Studentski Park in New Belgrade.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, six individuals were arrested for attacking Miloš Pavlović and his friends. Among them was Gligorijević, although footage he recorded himself — and which was published by Zoomer — clearly shows that he did not participate in the incident but was simply documenting the event.
Despite this, Gligorijević was detained by the police as a suspect after giving a statement, on the grounds of allegedly violating Article 7 of the Law on Public Order and Peace, specifically by “shouting and yelling” and thus disturbing public order.
Gligorijević is scheduled to appear before a judge at the Misdemeanor Court in Belgrade tomorrow.
We remind the public that in the recent case of a physical attack on students from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, the police failed to identify the attackers — it was the public who did so. Even after their identities were confirmed, the suspects were not detained, which highlights a troubling pattern of selective enforcement by the authorities.
IJAS demands the immediate release of journalist Darko Gligorijević, the return of his property, and an end to the misuse of legal procedures against journalists. We emphasize that journalists must not be targets of repression for doing their job in the public interest.
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia
Belgrade, June 5, 2025
