Local officials and individuals face threats and extortion in Serbia and Bosnia

In Zrenjanin, Serbia, councilors Petar Petrović and Miljan Čičić from the Movement of Changes in Focus (PUF) have called for urgent police and prosecutorial intervention following death threats directed at them on Facebook. The officials stated that institutions must identify the perpetrator to ensure no one is intimidated by their political activities or public work.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, a 44-year-old woman from Banja Luka has been charged with attempted extortion. Prosecutors in Prijedor allege that in September 2022, the suspect threatened a man with the release of explicit photos and videos on social media unless he paid 10,000 KM. The indictment claims she used SMS messages to pressure the victim, referencing his family and job to demand the cash payment.