Press Shelter Vranje: The safety of women journalists is threatened

Attacks on women journalists are not new in southern Serbia, and they have not been stopped under any political regime.

Attacks on women journalists from closed weekly “Vranjske” couldn’t be numbered. The same goes with portal Info Vranjske whose journalist Dejana Cvetkovic more than once got harsh reactions from her interlocutors, and the SNS secretary-general attacking a journalist from at that time state station RTV Vranje is still fresh in memory.

The matter goes so far that, for example, an NGO leader from Vranje, not caring much about women’s solidarity, went to her website and dated a document a few years ago, just so that a journalist who addressed her could give moral sermons, on third party account.

However, the case that attracted special attention happened at the end of 2019, when the journalist of “Večernje novosti” Jelena Stojkovic from Vranje was targeted by Ivana S. from Vranje.

Ivana S. sent more than 40 phone calls to the Novosti correspondent in the middle of the night and did not give up on such behavior even when Stojković reported the case to the police.

Serious threats that she will “kill her and her child in front of the kindergarten” followed at the beginning of November 2019  after “Vecernje Novosti” had published an article about inappropriate photos of a female student from elementary school “Radoje Domanovic” in Vranje, spread in schools.

No name was mentioned in the text, not even the initials of the child, but the mother recognized who it was, so she had felt called to address the journalist by making serious threats.

–   Now, when I remember that night, I’m not at all comfortable. On the contrary, I always think like everyone, but just about anyone can give themselves the right to say such horrible things. When such serious topics are dealt with, consultations are held in the editorial office. That day, before closing the issue editors checked every word countless times, so as not to endanger someone’s child but protect it from possible recognition and labeling. On the other hand, the mother of that child did not show such an attitude towards my child – says journalist Stojkovic.

 She never thought it could happen to her that someone threatened her, attacked her, and said “I know which kindergarten you take your child to”, “I know where you live”..

– The police patrol in front of the house and the conversation with the inspectors showed me that I look at the whole story more naively than they do. From this point of view, I really had the inviolable support of the editorial office until it became clear whether there were possibilities for realizing the threats and I came across even more incredible professionalism in the police and the Prosecutor’s Office – says Stojkovic.

Journalists’ associations in Serbia, as the Regional Platform for advocating media freedom and journalists’ safety, with more than 8,000 members, strongly condemned the death threats against journalist Jelena Stojkovic.

In January 2020, this story seemed to have an epilogue.

Due to death threats and endangering the safety of “Novosti” journalist from Vranje, Jelena Stojkovic, the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in that city, fined Ivana S. 40,000 dinars..

After questioning the suspect, who expressed real remorse, the public prosecutor’s decision to postpone the prosecution was made, and she was ordered to pay this amount for humanitarian purposes within six months. The sentence for this crime is from six months to five years, which means that the conditions for the application of the principle of opportunity have been met – it was announced in January 2020, the spokesman of the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Vranje, Miodrag Stojanovic.

During the hearing in the Prosecutor’s Office, Ivana admitted everything, and agreed with the decision to postpone the prosecution.

I just wanted it to ends, every visit to the Prosecutor’s Office is a return to that unpleasant situation. Due to the situation in which that woman finds herself, it is easier for me that she could pay that symbolic sum for humanitarian purposes instead of some other legal penalty, and then another summons followed and three more futile trips down to court – says Stojkovic.

But this is Serbia, and not everything is as simple as it could be.

Stojković had to go to the Prosecutor’s Office and give a statement again. Then she received information that the woman who threatened her refused to pay the fine, which is why the whole story received a court epilogue that is still going on.

But even that is not how it could be.

– I am now appearing in the Basic Court as a witness. The woman who attacked me did not appear at the first hearing, only the representative of the Prosecution and I were there. She did not appear at the second, and then at the third. The new trial is scheduled for June 17, we will see what will happen, but everything became meaningless even though it seemed that everyone reacted on time and according to the law – says Stojkovic.

This could be the end of the case, but new suspicious details appeared.

Namely, answering a question of public importance, the Basic Court in Vranje says that they have no idea about this and similar cases.

–The Basic Court in Vranje does not have information regarding any attacks and measures taken concerning the persons mentioned (J. Stojkovic, p.a.), nor does it have information that the case has received a court epilogue. Also, we do not have data of journalists asking the court for any kind of protection in the previous few years – it is said in the response of the Basic Court.

So now, whether this case is being tried or not?

As journalist Stojkovic and the Prosecutor’s Office claim, the trial is very much ongoing, only the court has no idea about it!

Answering a question of public importance, the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Vranje explains that “Criminal report received on November 7, 2019, under business number KT no. 713/19, filed against Stajić Ivana from Vranje due to the criminal offense of endangering security under Article 138 para. 3. Criminal Code, committed to the detriment of journalist Jelena Stojković from Vranjе”

The Prosecution says that Ivana Stajic was questioned on December 30, in the capacity of a suspect, when she stated that she accepted the obligation to pay the amount of 40,000.00 dinars to the account of the humanitarian organization.

According to this, on January 9, 2020, the Deputy Public Prosecutor issued an order to postpone the criminal prosecution to the suspect, under Article 283 para. 1. point. 2. CPC, pays the amount of 40,000.00 dinars for humanitarian purposes, within six months in five monthly installments.

– As the suspect did not act on the order of the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Vranje even after the warnings, the Deputy Public Prosecutor filed an indictment with the Basic Court in Vranje on August 21, against the defendant Stajic Ivana from Vranje, for the criminal offense of endangering security under Article 138, paragraph 3. CC. According to the indictment, the Basic Court in Vranje scheduled the first hearing for December 1, which the duly summoned defendant did not attend, so the acting judge sent a new summons through the Vranje Police Department for February 18 – the response of the Vranje Public Prosecutor’s Office reads.

 

Apparently, the police did not help either, so the search was postponed for the next term, April 8, and the news was that the court issued an order for forced bringing.

The fact that even the police could not find and bring the defendant causes serious concern, so a new hearing was scheduled for June 17.

– For further information on the course of the procedure, you can contact the Basic Court in Vranje, with a reference to K number 199/20 – it is said in the response of the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Yes, if only the Basic Court does not claim that no trial is being conducted before that court on this issue.

In the end, what the safety of journalists is if even one case, in which there is a confession of the defendant, cannot be resolved for more than 18 months?

What should that journalist think, and how can he avoid self-censorship next time, on a similar occasion?

After all, the thing which lives a sour taste in my mouth is that anyone can shout at us and even attack us, just because someone is not satisfied with how his case is being reported, Stojkovic finally adds.

A Team for the protection and safety of journalists was formed in Vranje, on the initiative of the Government of Serbia, and through the Higher Prosecutor Danijela Trajkovic.

There have been no cases to deal with so far, they say.

Sasa Stojkovic (Info Vranjske)