The Police Department, by initiating misdemeanor proceedings against persons who participated in the protest in front of Villa Gorica on the occasion of the July 13th Award, is sending a message that threatens freedom of assembly, discourages civic activism and undermines the foundations of the democratic order, according to the Center for Civic Education (CCE).
The non-governmental organization (NGO) said they were concerned about attempts to intimidate citizens who attended the protest for the July Thirteenth Award, through the initiation of misdemeanor proceedings, five months after the event.
The CCE stated that, instead of reviewing the proportionality of the police actions and the use of pepper spray at that gathering, they are witnessing pressure on citizens who were peacefully protesting.
"By doing so, the Police Directorate is sending a message that threatens freedom of assembly, discourages civic activism, and undermines the foundations of the democratic order," the statement said.
It is noted that scientists, artists, and civic activists participated in the protest.
"That is, those who defended the public interest and pointed out the illegal awarding of the Thirteenth of July Award, which represented a mockery of the values of modern Montenegro," the statement said.
CCE said that it was also concerned about the lack of the same standards when it came to incidents that truly disrupted public order and spread hatred.
As they said, there will be no prosecution of the rioters who interrupted the screening of the Albanian-language film "Roda" at the Xhada Film Festival.
"There is no prosecution of those who openly and loudly spread hate speech and called for violence against Turkish citizens after the incident in Zabjelo, marched threateningly through the city, causing fear and anxiety among citizens, and protested in front of the Government in the same way - the police secured them instead of sanctioning them," the CCE stated.
They asked whether such "selective action" was a way for Acting Director of the Police Administration, Lazar Šćepanović, to show "zeal" at a stage when he expects to be elected for a full term, or perhaps to "balance" some planned action in Botun in advance.
"CCE points out that the police should protect the rights of everyone, not punish those who defend the public interest. It is not the police's job to strike a balance, but rather to react in a timely and lawful manner if there are grounds for doing so," the statement states.
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