Serbia: CFWIJ Calls For Investigation Into Death Threats Against TV Host Žaklina Tatalović

Location: Serbia, Belgrade
Date: March 30, 2023

Death threats against Journalist Žaklina Tatalović must be investigated to ensure freedom of press. The Coalition For Women In Journalism demands prosecution of the perpetrators. 

Žaklina Tatalović, the presenter at CNN International's local broadcast partner N1, was threatened with life on Twitter, according to a report by Safe Journalists. "Alma Begović" and "Sabo Zoltan" DM’d she should be hanged, burned alive, and beheaded. They also wished Russia would not stop with "Ukrainian Nazis" but would "come for people" like the journalist and others like her. 

In a tweet on the recent attacks, Tatalović wrote she was followed by a person at Kazan International Airport (KZN) in Belgrade who shouted, "you're very dangerous" at the journalist.  

These are not the first threats directed at Tatalović. Previously, she was threatened on social media, tabloids, and TV. 

In November 2020, the journalist received direct and indirect threats on Instagram, The Council of Europe reported on their Safety of Journalists platform.

Tatalović has reported the incidents to the police. 

Journalists’ safety

CFWIJ has documented numerous violations against women journalists in Serbia in recent years. BIRN Serbia’s Jelena Veljkovic was sued for her court reporting on business owner and alleged criminal Predrag Koluvija. In December 2022, Jelena Obučina, a journalist with the Nova S TV channel, received messages via Twitter threatening her with “impalement” and stating that she “would be burned.”

The Independent Journalists Association of Serbia (IJAS) says the threats are unsurprising, considering the climate towards journalists in the country. 

According to IJAS, the number of attacks (including physical attacks, attacks on property, verbal threats, and pressure) is rising. Pro-regime media engage in smear cases and verbal attacks, but legal remedies are limited. Threats coming from the online sphere are equally perilous to those uttered live.

Tatalović has been a journalist for 20 years. She worked with BK TV, FOX, and FIRST TV. She’s reported on Serbia's most important political events and is a prominent voice critical of President Aleksandar Vučić's government. 

The Coalition For Women In Journalism extends support to Žaklina Tatalović. Serbian institutions have to send a clear message that this kind of behavior is unacceptable. We demand immediate legal action be taken against the culprits. Each attack on journalists is an attack on public interest, democracy, and the rights of all citizens. Journalism is not a crime.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.