English version below
Veran Matić je svoj život posvetio slobodi govora, zaštiti novinara, izgradnji kulture solidarnosti i dobročinstva u našoj zemlji. U okviru svog dobrotvornog rada, Veran je pokrenuo inicijativu "Bitka za bebe" kojom je porodilištima širom Srbije omogućio da dobiju više od 220 inkubatora i time spase živote više hiljada beba. Kroz osnivanje Srpskog filantropskog foruma i vođenje Fonda B92, mobilisao je javnost, kompanije i institucije da se angažuju u brojnim humanitarnim akcijama u oblastima zdravstva, obrazovanja i medijskih sloboda. Posebno se istakao u prikupljanju i distribuciji pomoći tokom vanrednih situacija poput poplava 2014. godine i pandemije COVID-19, pokazujući da medijski uticaj u spoju sa društvenom odgovornošću direktno pozitivno utiče na podizanje nivoa društvene solidarnosti i pronalaženje sistemskih rešenja za probleme koji direktno utiču na živote građana.
Pored toga, Veran Matić je decenijama dosledno i hrabro štitio bezbednost novinara u Srbiji – od osnivanja Komisije za rasvetljavanje ubistava novinara, preko SOS telefona za pomoć novinarima, na koji se lično javljao, do stalne podrške lokalnim medijima širom Srbije, u najtežim uslovima pritisaka i pretnji. Dok je Matić bio uz svoje kolege i koleginice, država je simbolično i institucionalno odsustvovala. Najbolniji primer toga ostaje činjenica da slučaj ubistva Slavka Ćuruvije, nakon svih godina i procesa, nije dobio svoj epilog i pravdu.
Predsednik pozivom na osvetu protiv čoveka posvećenog istini i javnom dobru pokazuje da svoju funkciju koristi kako bi napadao branitelje slobode govora, dok istovremeno abolira nasilnike i pruža zaštitu onima koji pesnicama, bejzbolkama i automobilima brutalno napadaju građane. Ovim činom predsednik nastavlja otvoreno da stoji na strani nasilja i nekažnjivosti, jasno pokazujući kako kriminal i nasilje nisu incident, već državna politika.
Zbog toga, mi, potpisane organizacije građanskog društva, pozivamo nadležne institucije da postupaju stručno i savesno, te zaštite ličnu bezbednost Verana Matić i odbace političku praksu nekažnjivosti nasilja, a građane da budu istrajni i solidarni u borbi za odgovornost.
U odgovornom društvu, predsednik države, kada ispušta i gubi vlast, ne poziva na linč.
U odgovornom društvu, ljudi poput Verana Matića se štite i nagrađuju – a ne targetiraju.
Organizacije građanskog društva - potpisnice:
Catalyst Balkans, Građanske inicijative, Inicijativa mladih za ljudska prava, CRTA, Trag fondacija, Beogradski centar za ljudska prava, Nezavisno udruženje novinara Srbije, Smart Kolektiv, Partneri Srbija, Udruženje Naša kuća, Udruženje građana Novosadska biciklistička inicijativa, Slavko Ćuruvija fondacija, Centar “Živeti uspravno”, Romani Asvin, Zelena oaza Kučevo, Kučevska inicijativa, Udruženje „Nauči me”, Pro.Tok21, Udruženje mladih “Naš svet, naša pravila”, Centar za devojke, Asocijacija nezavisnih elektronskih medija, Fond B92, A 11 - Inicijativa za ekonomska i socijalna prava, Novi optimizam, SviĆe BAZA, Srpski filantropski forum, Udruženje Forum žena Prijepolja, Udruženje KROKODIL, Proaktiv, Okular, Udruženje ZOO Planet Niš, Lokalna fondacija StPa, Udruženje Tatamate, Udruženje Cirkusfera, Knjigoskop, Mreža akademske solidarnosti i angažovanosti (MASA), ASTRA - Akcija protiv trgovine ljudima, Udruženje Svetionik, Civil Rights Defenders, Lokalna Fondacija LFP
The president's call to lynch Veran Matić is an act of political desperation and a brutal message against the rule of law
Civil society warns of increasingly dangerous smear campaigns against media workers, the consequences of which can seriously threaten their safety. These attacks come from the highest public positions in Serbia. President Vučić's statement, which demands that Veran Matić apologize to the people who were accused of murdering journalist Slavko Ćuruvija and "take them a bottle of wine", represents an unequivocal and dangerous political message: this kind of targeting and calling for revenge against those who fight for truth and justice is once again allowed in Serbia.
Veran Matić dedicated his life to freedom of speech, protection of journalists, building a culture of solidarity and charity in our country. As part of his charitable work, Veran launched the "Battle for the Babies" initiative, which enabled maternity hospitals across Serbia to receive more than 220 incubators and thereby save the lives of thousands of babies. Through the establishment of the Serbian Philanthropy Forum and management of B92 Fund, he mobilized the public, companies and institutions to engage in numerous humanitarian actions in the areas of health, education and media freedom. He particularly distinguished himself in the collection and distribution of aid during emergency situations such as the floods of 2014 and the COVID-19 pandemic, showing that media impact combined with social responsibility has a direct positive effect on raising the level of social solidarity and finding systemic solutions to problems that directly affect the lives of citizens.
In addition, Veran Matić has consistently and courageously protected the safety of journalists in Serbia for decades - from the establishment of the Commission for Investigating the Murders of Journalists, through the SOS line to help journalists, which he personally answered, to the constant support of local media throughout Serbia, in the most difficult conditions of pressure and threats. While Matić was with his colleagues, the state was symbolically and institutionally absent. As the most painful example of this remains the fact that the case of the murder of Slavko Ćuruvija, after all the years and trials, did not receive its epilogue and justice.
By calling for revenge against a man dedicated to truth and the public welfare, the president shows that he uses his position to attack defenders of freedom of speech, while at the same time absolving bullies and providing protection to those who brutally attack citizens with fists, baseballs and cars. With this act, president continues to stand openly on the side of violence and impunity, clearly showing that crime and violence are not incidents, but state policy.
Therefore, we, the undersigned civil society organizations, call on the competent institutions to act professionally and conscientiously, protect the personal safety of Veran Matić and reject the political practice of impunity for violence, and we call on the citizens to be persistent and united in the fight for accountability.
In a responsible society, when president loses power, he doesn’t call for lynching.
In a responsible society, people like Veran Matić are protected and rewarded - not targeted.
Civil society organizations - signatories:
Catalyst Balkans, Civic initiatives, Youth Initiative for Human Rights, CRTA (Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability), Trag foundation, Belgrade Center for Human Rights, Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia, Smart Collective, Partners Serbia, Association Our House, Association of Citizens of Novi Sad Bicycle Initiative, Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation, "Living Upright" Center, Romani Asvin, Green oasis Kučevo, Kučevo's initiative, Association "Teach Me", Pro. Tok21, "Our world, our rules" Youth Association, Center for girls, Association of Independent Electronic Media, Fund B92, A 11 - Initiative for economic and social rights, New optimism, SviĆe BAZA, Serbian Philanthropy Forum, Prijepolje Women's Forum Association, CROCODILE Association, Proactive, Ocular, ZOO Planet Niš Association, Local foundation StPa, Association Tatamate, Cirkusfera Association, Knjigoskop, Network of Academic Solidarity and Engagement (MASA), ASTRA - Action against human trafficking, NGO Lighthouse, Civil Rights Defenders, Local Foundation LFP