Lynching over first and last name

The police and the Basic State Prosecutor's Office in Cetinje have identified two individuals from whose social media accounts threats and disturbing messages were sent. Jelena Krstova RadonjićThis is a woman from Cetinje who has no connection to the recent accident in front of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Podgorica, when another woman with the same name drove her car through a ramp and injured two people.

"Two persons suspected of being behind the orders from which threatening and disturbing words were sent to citizens JR have been identified. Information has been collected from them for the record, and further action is underway in relation to these persons. The police are taking further measures and actions in order to determine all facts and circumstances in relation to the reported event and the possible prosecution of the perpetrators," the Police Directorate explained to "Vijesti".

After the accident in front of the Podgorica Temple, a photo of Jelena Krstova Radonjić began circulating on social media, accompanied by numerous threatening, mocking, chauvinistic and offensive comments. They also insinuated that she had hit two pedestrians with her car.

Some even wrote that she should be given some kind of "infection, so that she would die immediately," while others insulted her in the most primitive way.

Another person is responsible for the incident, Jelena Radonjic (44), who was arrested after the accident. However, even her arrest did not stop the attacks on social media against her namesake from Cetinje.

She filed two criminal charges and also reacted publicly due to threats, targeting, and harassment on social media.

In a statement to the media, she wrote that because of her first and last name, she was brought into the context of an unfortunate event, and that after the incident, social media users made untrue, malicious and offensive comments that made her and her family feel threatened.

She pointed out that the lack of additional clarification regarding the suspect's identity "triggered a wave of unprovoked hate speech" directed at her, especially on social media.

She also wrote that she had experienced numerous inconveniences, that the entire situation had deeply disturbed her, and that additional stress and concern had also been felt by her family members.

"Officers of the Cetinje Security Department have received two reports from citizen JR regarding targeting, threats and harassment on social media," the police told "Vijesti".

They explained that the prosecutor at the Basic State Prosecutor's Office in Cetinje was informed of the above reports:

"Which ordered that the Higher State Prosecutor's Office in Podgorica be informed of the contents of the reports."

Their colleagues from the Podgorica Higher State Prosecutor's Office, however, stated that the actions of the reported persons do not constitute elements of a criminal offense within the jurisdiction of the High State Prosecutor's Office, but rather that they fall within the jurisdiction of the Basic State Prosecutor's Office in Cetinje.

"The acting prosecutor in Cetinje has been informed again of the opinion and content of the reports, who will subsequently make a statement on the possible qualification of the criminal offense."