Serbia: Prison sentence for arson attack on journalist Milan Jovanovic
[vc_row][vc_column width="2/3"][vc_single_image image="1931" img_size="medium"][vc_column_text]The Media Freedom Rapid Response coalition (MFRR) welcomes the verdict in the criminal case concerning the arson attack against Serbian journalist Milan Jovanovic, rendered on 23 February by the Second Basic Court in Belgrade. The court sentenced former Grocka mayor Dragoljub Simonovic to four years and three months of prison for having ordered the arson attack on Jovanovic’s house in December 2018. The court also sentenced Vladimir Mihailovic and Aleksandar Marinkovic in absentia to four years in jail. Mr Marinkovic was sentenced for perpetrating the arson attack; however, his whereabouts have been unknown since the start of proceedings. This sentence sets an important precedent for ensuring that those who commit crimes against journalists in Serbia – so often met with impunity – are brought to justice.
During the final hearing, Judge Slavko Žugić also condemned the continuous obstructions the court faced in its work as a result of the defence’s multiple requests to postpone the hearings. It was reported that the defence team left the courtroom when being reprimanded by the court. The prosecutor affirmed that he will appeal the decision to seek a higher sentence for the three convictions. Simonovic’s lawyer also stated that they will appeal the judgment, but the grounds of their appeal are yet to be known.
Against a backdrop of proceedings in journalists’ cases lasting for decades, this sentence in Jovanovic’s case is particularly important. According to a recent report by the Slavko Curuvija Foundation, only one in 10 criminal complaints involving threats to or attacks on journalists results in a court verdict in Serbia.
The MFRR notes that a high number of cases of harassment and threats against journalists Serbia has been recorded since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The MFRR recently concluded an online international mission to ascertain the status of media freedom and journalists’ protection in the country: preliminary findings outline that additional safeguards and strong political will are needed for safety of journalists and access to justice to be fully guaranteed.
Signed by:
ARTICLE 19
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
International Press Institute (IPI)[/vc_column_text][nd_options_image nd_options_image="5073" nd_options_width="100%"][vc_cta h2=""]This statement is part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), an Europe-wide mechanism, which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and Candidate Countries. This project provides legal and practical support, public advocacy and information to protect journalists and media workers. The MFRR is organised by an consortium led by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) with ARTICLE 19, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), Free Press Unlimited (FPU), the Institute for Applied Informatics at the University of Leipzig (InfAI), International Press Institute (IPI) and CCI/Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT). The project is co-funded by the European Commission. www.mfrr.eu[/vc_cta][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id="nicdark_sidebar"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_text_separator title="Related news" title_align="separator_align_left" color="sky"][nd_options_post_grid nd_options_layout="layout-9" nd_options_width="nd_options_width_33_percentage nd_options_float_left" nd_options_orderby="date" nd_options_qnt="6"][/vc_column][/vc_row]