On February 4, 2026, four faculty members from the Department of Media Studies at the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Novi Sad received threats of violence via their official email addresses.

The same message was sent to all four professors. It read: “Read. The black hand has marked you. It knows everything. Take care. Friend.” The Black Hand, officially known as “Unification or Death,” is a secret Serbian military society formed to unite all territories that have a South Slavic majority into a Greater Serbia.

The emails were sent to Department of Media Studies head Smiljana Milinkov, Professor Miloš Perović, Assistant Professor Stefan Janjić, and Assistant Professor Ksenija Pavkov. Pavkov stated she believed the sender targeted those supportive of ongoing nationwide, student-led protests against government corruption, and she noted that all four faculty members targeted had been among those who publicly rallied behind Professor Jelena Keult, who was denied a promotion on November 20, 2025, effectively ending her tenure (see report).

An identical threat had previously been sent to Professor Smiljana Milinkov in September 2025. Although she reported the incident to the police, at the time of reporting, no progress had been made in identifying the sender or their motives.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about the intimidation and harassment, including threats of violence, of faculty and academic staff for exercising their freedom of expression and freedom of association – conduct which is protected by international human rights instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Members of the public must refrain from actions that chill or restrict such conduct, regardless of political or ideological differences. In addition to harm to the immediate victims, intimidation and harassment in response to peaceful expressive activity undermine academic freedom and democratic society generally.

Sources:
https://nova.rs/vesti/drustvo/stigle-zastraujue-pretnje-profesorima-filozofskog-fakulteta/
https://www.mojnovisad.com/vesti/ndnv-u-zemlji-u-kojoj-se-bez-posledica-preti-profesorima-novinarima-i-neistomisljenicima-niko-nije-bezbedan-id75241.html
https://www.mojnovisad.com/vesti/anem-nakon-pretnji-smrcu-profesorki-milinkov-zastitimo-profesore-i-studente-novinarstva-id72109.html
https://www.maglocistac.rs/u-fokusu/ndnv-najnovije-pretnje-profesorkama-i-profesorima-odseka-za-medijske-studije-izuzetno-opasne
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/pretnje-crna-ruka-filozofski-fakultet-novi-sad/33670508.html