The Center for Women's Rights announced that they strongly condemn the case of violence against Andrea Sekulić, in which a member of the Police Administration, Ivan Bojić, was accused, and expressed concern over the decision of the Kolašin prosecutor to qualify this case of gender-based violence against a woman as a misdemeanor "and not a criminal offense." which is prosecuted ex officio in accordance with the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code of Montenegro and the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention and Suppression of Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention)".
"This is all the more so since an officer of the Police Administration was blamed for this act, who by his behavior caused serious physical injuries to the victim, and with insults, threats and behavior expressed an extremely discriminatory attitude towards the victim as a woman.
ODT Kolašin made the decision on the qualification of the offense before hearing the injured party, without seeing the complete medical documentation, photos of the injuries that were not expertized by any of the court experts", reads the press release of the non-governmental organization. The girl told "Vijesta" that an officer of the Police Administration beat her twice, brutally and for no reason, in the nightclub "Selekt" on June 9. The Police Administration then announced that a misdemeanor charge had been filed against their officer and that he would face disciplinary action. The Basic State Prosecutor's Office in Kolašin declared that there were no elements of criminal responsibility in the actions of the police officer. "By acting like this, ODT Kolašin minimizes the consequences of violence against women, which represents a kind of institutional discrimination against victims and does not act as a deterrent to the perpetrators of these crimes," the Center for Women's Rights announced. They announced that they would provide the injured victim with free legal representation and would monitor the actions of the institutions in that case with the greatest care, which, they noted, is of particular importance for the protection of equality and the protection of women from violence.
On this occasion, the Center also wrote to the Supreme State Prosecutor Ivica Stanković, sending him a request to review the decision of the Basic State Prosecutor's Office in Kolašin.
In the request, they claim that it is a case of gender-based violence, the severity of which, in addition to the fact that the victim suffered physical injuries, is also contributed to by the fact that it was committed by an officer of the Police Administration "who, according to the available information, had an official weapon and at the same time threatened to use it against the victim".
Sekulić previously told "Vijesta" that she did not see that the policeman had a gun, but that she heard him shouting: "Let me drill, ku.vu." Now I'm going to empty the entire cartridge on her."
"Because of all of the above, we believe that it is necessary to review the decision of the Kolašin Police Department, because the violence committed by a member of the Police Administration cannot be prosecuted as a misdemeanor, but exists as a criminal offense that is prosecuted ex officio in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Code of Montenegro and Istanbul Convention".
After being beaten, Sekulić told "Vijesta" that it all started after she unsuccessfully begged the policeman several times to get out of the women's toilet, which he entered after her. She said that she did not know Bojić.
According to her, the policeman soon became aggressive - first he brutally insulted her, and then beat her with his hands and feet.
They did not listen to the girl, nor did they examine the list of injuries
From the Center for Women's Rights, they appealed to the supreme state prosecutor to review the disputed decision of the Kolasin prosecutor and return it for re-evaluation and decision.
"This is because the ODT Kolašin has not heard the injured party until today, did not have access to all the medical documentation, photographs of injuries, and the injured party was not examined by any of the court experts".
They suggest to Stanković that he propose measures that will enable the protection of the victim, who was absent due to the fact that the defendant is at large and moves freely near her place of residence. "To review the initiation of the investigation also against those persons who failed to report the case to the police and tried to reduce the responsibility of the perpetrator of violence by other actions," reads the Center's request addressed to Stanković.
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