Threats Against Serbian Journalist Over Interview with Ukrainian Refugee

Earlier this month, Miljko Stojanovic, a reporter for the Serbian newspaper Danas based in the town of Zaječar in the nation's east, published an article in the newspaper profiling a refugee from Ukraine who had fled to Serbia.

Miljko Stojanovic

The journalist reported to CPJ that, in the days that followed, he received dozens of threatening messages through his Facebook page from people who had expressed support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine and insulted Stojanovic, the refugee and the journalist. Several of the messages CPJ reviewed depicted threats of physical violence toward him, including the threat to "disfigure" him. Stojanovic said that they appeared to be sent from real and fake Facebook accounts, and that there was no consistency in their origin.

According to Stojanovic and Safe Journalists, a regional news outlet that tracks violence against the press, on March 14, the police detained a person who was allegedly mailing some of the threatening messages. According to news reports and a journalist I spoke with, the police have not specifically disclosed any charges against the suspect, but have issued a restraining order preventing them from contacting Stojanovic.

A little over 250 people follow Stojanovic's Facebook account, where he shares reporting and commentary. In his statement, he said he has lived in fear over the threats, and has been prescribed medications for stress.

“I feel I now need protection not only for me, but also for my wife and her brother – who are both from Ukraine and we all live together,” he said. “I am afraid somebody might bring them to danger.”

The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Serbian authorities to investigate threats made to journalist Miljko Stojanovic swiftly and thoroughly.