The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS) strongly condemns the latest threats directed at Branislav Šovljanski, News Director and Editor of N1 Television, and calls on the competent authorities to react without delay, especially given that the same individual has previously threatened him.
The threat was posted today as a comment on an article published on the N1 website titled “Spin tabloida iz prvog reda: Od običnog protokola napravili veliku čast za Srbiju i Vučića“ by a person using the pseudonym “Srbin” (“Serb”).
The message reads:
“N1 director, we’ll f*** your children, your family, everything you have, and we’ll do it slowly. We’ll wait for you. We’ll f*** your loved ones. Remember, as long as there are Serbs, you will be hunted. F*** your origins. You should be impaled on a stake, roasted alive, you bitch bastard. Your mother slept with everyone, nobody even knows who your father is, bastard.”
The threat has been reported to the competent prosecutor’s office, from which we expect a swift, effective, and thorough response.
IJAS reminds the public that the individual behind this account has already been reported for making threats against N1 journalists and that the account used to send these messages has been linked to the same IP address. This raises serious concerns and suggests that the previously reported threats were not adequately investigated or prosecuted.
The content of the message constitutes a direct and explicit threat of violence, death, and persecution, targeting not only Branislav Šovljanski but also members of his family. It is particularly alarming that the same individual has repeatedly sent threatening messages over a short period of time.
Given the repeated threats and the explicit promise of continued persecution, IJAS believes that the competent authorities must thoroughly investigate all the circumstances of this case and consider the existence of all criminal offences prosecuted ex officio, including endangering safety and stalking.
The lack of an effective response to previously reported threats encourages perpetrators to continue making threats. For this reason, this case must be treated with the utmost seriousness and prosecuted without delay.
IJAS expresses its full solidarity with Branislav Šovljanski and the editorial staff of N1 Television and will continue to closely monitor the actions taken by the competent authorities in this case.
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS)
Belgrade, 17 July 2026
Translation: IJAS, with AI assistance
