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Zagreb nun accused of self‑inflicted stabbing after alleging stranger attack; police to press charges

Police in Zagreb say a 35-year-old nun who reported being stabbed by a stranger has been accused of stabbing herself and filing a false report. Unverified social media claims — including allegations of a migrant attacker — spread quickly and were amplified by far‑right accounts, provoking xenophobic reactions. Authorities plan to file criminal charges for falsely reporting a crime, and commentators have urged caution in reporting cases involving vulnerable individuals.

12:07 AM, 12/03/2025Society

Police in Zagreb say a 35-year-old Catholic nun who reported being stabbed by an unknown man has been accused of inflicting the wounds on herself and filing a false police report. The woman was treated in hospital for minor abdominal knife injuries and is now the subject of a criminal inquiry, authorities say.

She initially told investigators she had been attacked on a city street by a stranger. Within hours, unverified versions of the incident spread on social media — including claims that a migrant shouted "Allahu Akbar" during the assault — which fuelled xenophobic anger online and were amplified by accounts linked to far‑right figures.

Police findings and legal action

As officers questioned the nun, investigators say they established that she had bought a knife in Zagreb and then stabbed herself. Zagreb police issued a statement saying the injury was self-inflicted and that the woman later filed a false report; they announced plans to file a criminal complaint for falsely reporting a crime.

Mental health and reporting concerns

Croatian media have reported the nun has a history of mental health problems, though police did not offer an official motive. Experts cautioned that cases involving vulnerable people require careful handling and verification before being widely publicised.

Sandra Marković, a constitutional and human rights expert, said early doubts about the account "arose very soon after the publication of the first information" and urged that such cases be treated with special care.

Political context

The episode has reignited debate in Croatia about the rise of the far Right and attempts to rehabilitate the legacy of the Ustasha, the wartime ultranationalist movement blamed for mass atrocities against Serbs, Jews, Roma and anti‑fascist Croats. Earlier this year, a concert by nationalist singer Marko "Thompson" Perković drew criticism after the audience responded to his "Za dom" chant with "Spremni," a slogan linked to the Ustasha era.

Observers say the incident highlights how quickly unverified allegations can be weaponised online and underscores the responsibility of public figures and media outlets to verify claims before amplifying them.

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