SLAPP BACK #6 for Nenad Paunović

23 Apr SLAPP BACK #6 for Nenad Paunović

The SLAPP BACK fund invites all citizens who are able to, to donate and assist activist and journalist Nenad Paunović – Neša Paun from Pirot.

According to the ruling of the Appellate Court in Belgrade, based on a joint lawsuit by Zoran Panić (Editor at TV Pirot), Aleksandar Ćirić (owner of Pirotske vesti), and Vito Ćirić (correspondent for Novosti), activist, journalist, and a rare voice of freedom from Pirot, Nenad Paunović, is required to pay the plaintiffs an amount of 252,000 Serbian dinars for litigation costs, as well as 110,000 Serbian dinars individually to each of the plaintiffs for defamation and damage to reputation. Nenad has bravely fought against SLAPP lawsuits for two full years, while the state has cut all forms of funding for his portal with the sole aim of persecuting dissenting voices.

Two years ago, an environmental incident occurred near Pirot. Serbia learned about the ammonia spill precisely from Nenad Paunović through his portal “Plus online.” He became widely known to the public when, following the accident, he found the lifeless body of a Turkish citizen in close proximity to the railway, and also for questioning the Minister of Environmental Protection, Irena Vujović, to which she had no answers. This did not discourage Nenad Paunović; on the contrary, like a true investigative journalist, he continued to document numerous scenes from the field, in contrast to most of his other colleagues.

The generation of journalists and activists that Nenad Paunović belongs to is unfortunately dying out across Serbia. His example is all the more important because it shows the power of one person whose work is often a “one-man show.” Neša Paun, at the age of 74, has challenged many theories and media and information business models. He has stirred the general public, alarmed and provoked government members, the local Pirot authorities, and served as a voice and eyes for us citizens across Serbia.

Nenad Paunović is also the recipient of the NUNS Plaque for Investigative Journalism “Dejan Anastasijević” for 2023.

We invite you to help Nenad by making individual donations in one of the following ways:

IN SERBIAN DINARS:
Account No.: 170-0030039599021-59
Udruženje KROKODIL, Karađorđeva 43, 11000 Beograd

IN EUROS:
IBAN: RS35170003003959900122
SWIFT: BACXRSBG
Udruzenje KROKODIL, Karađorđeva 43/2, 11000 Belgrade, UniCredit Bank Serbia A.D.

IN USD:
IBAN: RS35170003003959900995
SWIFT: BACXRSBG
Udruzenje KROKODIL, Karađorđeva 43/2, 11000 Belgrade, UniCredit Bank Serbia A.D.

PayPal:
office@krokodil.rs