The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS) strongly condemns the threats directed at the newsrooms of Slobodna reč from Vranje and N1, sent to them through comments on social media and on the portal.
The newsroom of Slobodna reč from Vranje received a threat in a Facebook comment under the article “Announcement of the ‘Pride’ Caravan in Vranje Exposed Extreme Homophobia”. The threat was sent by the user of the profile Slađan Ristić, who, among other things, wrote: “Listen, you who write this and those who want faggotry, do not try these stupid set-ups in Vranje, you will get beaten up, I promise you that.”
IJAS warns that such a message represents a direct threat of violence against the newsroom and constitutes hate speech in the public sphere. Journalists and media outlets must not be subjected to intimidation because they report on events and social phenomena that part of the public or certain individuals do not approve of.
It is particularly concerning that the threats were made in a smaller local community, where residents know each other and come into contact on a daily basis. In such circumstances, there is a greater possibility of a direct encounter between the person who made the threats and those targeted by them, which further intensifies the fear that the threats could be carried out and makes that fear objectively justified.
New threats were also directed at the N1 newsroom in comments on a news item published on the n1info.rs portal, titled “Amendments to the Resolution on Serbia – on the Sonic Cannon, Cooperation with the Communist Party of China, and the Suspension of Funds”. Along with numerous insults and labelling N1 journalists as “Ustashas”, a person using the pseudonym “Srbin” said, among other things, that N1 journalists “should be set on fire in the middle of the street” and “roasted on a spit”.
The comment states: “N1 monkeys, liars, you should all be set on fire, to burn in the middle of the street, Ustasha whores, bastards (…) your skulls should be burned and you should be roasted on a spit (…) you will see, Ustashas, whether you will be in Serbia and report (…) we will expel you, Ustashas, forever, death to liars, Ustashas, fraudsters, fascists, that is N1.”
IJAS stresses that such messages constitute serious death threats and threats of violence. It is particularly worrying that threats against the N1 newsroom are being repeated, accompanied by dehumanising language, hate speech and calls for violence. We especially warn that, in the case of the N1 newsroom, there has been a dramatic increase in reported threats since 2024, while convictions are almost non-existent, creating an atmosphere of impunity and further encouraging new attacks on this newsroom and its journalists.
All threats will be reported to the competent prosecutor’s office, and IJAS demands an urgent response from the institutions, the identification of the persons who sent them, and an examination of whether the criminal offence of endangering safety has been committed, as well as other criminal offences prosecuted ex officio.
IJAS reminds that impunity for threats against journalists creates an atmosphere in which violence against journalists is presented as permissible. The competent institutions must clearly demonstrate that threats of beatings, burning, murder and expulsion of journalists will not go without consequences, which is a precondition for the safe and unhindered work of journalists.
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia
Belgrade, 9 July 2026
