The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS) strongly condemns the death threats and threats of violence directed at journalist Igor Velić from Bor, which he received via the social media platforms Facebook and X. The threats have been reported to the competent authorities, whom we call on to resolve this case without delay.
On 17 January, Velić received two threats from the account CarDusanNajveci on X: “You should be eliminated with a 12.7-calibre rifle, I’ll burn your mother, you Albanian Taliban terrorist” and “You’re a Gestapo man and you should be eliminated like all Nazis and Gestapo members were eliminated without mercy – into the ground with you, I’ll f* your mother, you terrorist Gestapo scum”.
He also received a threat on the Facebook page “Borani se pitaju”, from the user account Mirko Djekanovic, stating: “You should be f*ed first and then killed… hehh”.
IJAS warns that these are extremely serious threats that constitute a grave criminal offence and an open call to violence, with a real risk of escalating into actual violence. It is particularly alarming that the messages contain explicit calls for murder, further increasing the risk and fueling an atmosphere of lynching.
We stress that Igor Velić was already targeted by threats last year due to his critical reporting on developments in the Bor District.
IJAS demands that the Ministry of the Interior and the competent public prosecutor’s office promptly identify the individuals behind the cited accounts and conduct proceedings in accordance with the law. We remind the authorities that institutions have an obligation to respond effectively to threats against journalists, and that failure to react swiftly in such cases can have serious consequences.
Impunity is one of the key problems that significantly contributes to the creation of this climate of violence and threats. It is essential that the competent institutions begin doing their job without delay – acting efficiently and consistently sanctioning perpetrators.
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS)
Belgrade, 21 January 2026
