Pavićević and Bošnjak: Frequent attacks on the media encourage citizens to do the same, an attack on a journalist is an attack on all women

Frequent attacks or examples of targeting in the media additionally encourage other citizens to do the same, which can result in an increase in attacks on female journalists or even a reduced reaction or complete absence of reaction from certain representatives of competent authorities.

This was stated in the statement of the co-presidents of the Women's Club of the Assembly, Vesna Pavićević and Branka Bošnjak, who pointed out that the disturbing death threats to the journalist of M portal, Danica Nikolić, must be of urgent concern to the security services and the prosecution.

They believe that an urgent reaction of the competent authorities is needed in finding and punishing the person who sent the threatening threats to the journalists of the M portal.

"We are witnessing that continuous insults addressed to women from the public scene in Montenegro turn into serious death threats on a daily basis, as demonstrated by the threat to journalist Nikolić, who in this way is openly standing in the way of freedom of media work and investigative journalism. In addition to negative comments, harassment, verbal threats, vulgar and misogynistic insults, the messages now also contain hate speech and explicit death threats," the announcement states.

Pavićević and Bošnjak point out that in this particular case there must not be a lack of condemnation on the part of government representatives and ignorance of the responsibilities of competent authorities, as well as a lack of awareness for media freedom and the safety of journalists.

The attack on the journalist, they add, is an attack on all women in Montenegro, on the public interest, democracy and the rights of all citizens.

"That's why we demand that the police and the prosecutor's office identify and sanction the person who sent serious threats to the journalists of the M portal, and that in the shortest possible time, because any delay in an adequate reaction of the competent authorities opens up space for further violence against journalists. This threat must be the strictest sanctioned and be a warning to all those who dare to threaten, insult or destroy the dignity and integrity of a journalist in the territory of Montenegro", the statement of the co-president of the Women's Club concludes.