German court bans Spiegel from linking Serbian President Vučić to Sarajevo ‘human safari’

The Landgericht Hamburg issued a temporary injunction that prohibits the German weekly Der Spiegel from publishing any statements that suggest Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić participated in the alleged “human safari” – a campaign of targeted killings of civilians during the 1992‑1995 siege of Sarajevo. The court ruled the reporting was inadmissible and unbalanced, violated Vučić’s personal rights, and failed to meet the presumption‑of‑innocence standard. If Spiegel continues to repeat the claims, it faces a fine of up to €250,000 and must bear all procedural costs.

The order also bars the magazine from quoting similar allegations made by Vojislav Šešelj, Kosovo premier Albin Kurti, or from using excerpts of an alleged war diary from August 1992 that was first publicised by journalist Domagoj Margetić. The judges noted that, while the case concerns a public figure of exceptional interest, the claims lack solid evidential backing.

Spiegel acknowledged receipt of the injunction and said it would adjust its coverage, though it reaffirmed support for its investigation. The story originates from the book “Weekend Snipers” by Italian author Ezio Gavazzeni, which European prosecutors have treated as a source of unverified rumours. Court documents confirm that there is ample evidence of Vučić’s wartime statements, but no proof linking him to the “safari” allegations.