The Center for Investigative Reporting of Montenegro (CIN-CG) announced today that it strongly condemns the attempt to criminalize journalistic work through the criminal complaint filed by the Director of the National Security Agency (ANB) Ivica Janović against CIN-CG journalists Andrea Perišić and Đurđe Radulović, as well as against unidentified persons, for allegedly disclosing classified information in the article "SECURITY CHECKS IN THE ANB: Are hirings being done more at the behest of the powerful?" which was published on the CIN-CG website on May 31st.
CIN-CG said that the journalistic investigation dealt with personnel policy at the ANB.
"CIN-CG journalists were summoned to the Podgorica Security Center today to give statements regarding the criminal report, which they did, accompanied by lawyer Siniša Gazivoda. As they were informed, the criminal report was filed by ANB Director Ivica Janović on June 2 with the Special State Prosecutor's Office (SDT), in the hands of Chief Special Prosecutor Vladimir Novović, but the case was forwarded to the Higher State Prosecutor's Office, which ordered the Podgorica Security Center to collect information from the journalists," they said. CIN-CG-a.
Perišić and Radulović stated that the criminal report was not well-founded, because the text did not disclose secret information, which is why Janović filed a criminal report, but rather information of public interest.
The criminal complaint also asks the journalists to reveal the sources of information, which they refused to do, because the protection of sources is guaranteed by the laws of Montenegro.
"We are shocked by the criminal report, because CIN-CG journalists and the editorial staff conducted the entire investigation with due care. There is no mention of the disclosure of classified information in the published articles. We believe that with this criminal report, the ANB leadership is trying to stop our investigations, which are of the highest public interest. Despite the pressure, we will continue to investigate issues of public interest and provide citizens with information that is important for the functioning of a democratic society," said CIN-CG President Milka Tadić Mijović.
CIN-CG believes that this is a case of pressure on investigative journalism and an attempt to intimidate female journalists who are doing their job professionally.
"It is particularly concerning that the ANB, instead of responding to questions of public interest, is resorting to mechanisms that may have a discouraging effect on journalists and their sources. CIN-CG calls on the competent institutions to act in accordance with the Constitution, the laws of Montenegro, and international standards that guarantee freedom of expression, freedom of the media, and the protection of journalistic sources. CIN-CG remains committed to professional, responsible, and investigative journalism in the public interest and will not give up on investigating topics, including those related to the ANB, that are of importance to the citizens of Montenegro," CIN-CG said.
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