Montenegro continues to be burdened by unsolved murders and attempted murders, physical attacks, threats and attacks on media property, and the new executive power now has the opportunity and obligation to create conditions for the detection of perpetrators and their punishment, announced the Human Rights Action (HRA). .
"The founder and editor-in-chief of the newspaper Dan, Duško Jovanović, was assassinated in 2004, as well as others who were exposed to serious and targeted attacks due to investigative journalism and freedom of speech - Tufik Softić, Željko Ivanović, Olivera Lakić, Mladen Stojović, Jevrem Brković - indicated the connection of the authorities with organized crime in Montenegro. The European Commission, in its latest non-paper report on the rule of law in Montenegro (for the period June 2022 - March 2023), again emphasized that there was no progress in investigations, prosecutions and trials for old cases of violence against journalists and media workers," the HRA press release points out.
The non-governmental organization (NGO) added that it is unknown whether the Government of Montenegro actually hired a foreign expert to review the investigation into the murder of Duško Jovanović.
"In July, the media announced that former Prime Minister Dritan Abazović addressed US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and asked the Federal Bureau of Investigation for help in the investigation of this murder, but it was not announced that cooperation had been established," HRA said.
In the report "Unsolved murder of Duško Jovanović - unanswered questions", which was published on the 12th anniversary of the assassination in 2016, that NGO concluded that the investigation was not conducted in accordance with international standards of effective investigation and that many questions were unjustifiably left unexplained. Back then, we appealed for a foreign expert to be hired to analyze that investigation.
"At our initiative, the Commission for Monitoring Investigations and Attacks on Journalists and Media Property asked the Government in 2018 to hire such an expert to help them in their work. From then until today, we have been waiting for it, as many as four governments have not provided it. Now is an opportunity for the 44th Government of Milojko Spajić to show himself," HRA said.
They also state that it is unacceptable that more than five years after the last attack on Olivera Lakić there is no progress in the investigation, especially since it has never been clarified who and why ordered the previous attacks on her and her family.
"Olivera has been investigating cigarette smuggling and the activities of the Tara tobacco factory from Mojkovac for years, and connected its activities with officials of the state security sector and the top government," HRA said.
The NGO also said that yesterday was 16 years since the attempted murder of journalist Tufik Softić in Berane on November 1.11.2007, XNUMX. year, and the attackers and the perpetrators were not found.
"Before the attack, Softić investigated and published articles about organized crime in the north of the country. The investigation was suspended in 2015, and the Higher State Prosecutor's Office in Bijelo Polje is still investigating today, without any progress. The Basic Court in Podgorica still in October 2017. determined that the state violated Softić's human rights because it did not effectively investigate the attack. The violation of Softić's rights was also determined by the Constitutional Court of Montenegro in 2017. Action for Human Rights expects the new authorities to hire a foreign expert to review the conduct of the investigations so far and to find a way to encourage those who have information that can shed light on the attacks and their background to come forward, contribute to the realization of justice and free Montenegro from the burdens of the past," HRA said.
That NGO also submitted a Reminder (from the United Nations website):
The United Nations General Assembly declared November 2 the "International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists" by resolution A/RES/68/163. This resolution calls on the UN member states to apply extreme measures to counter the existing culture of impunity. The date was chosen to commemorate the murder of two French journalists in Mali on November 2, 2013. The resolution condemns all attacks and violence against journalists and media workers. It requires UN member states to do everything in their power to prevent attacks on journalists and media workers and ensure accountability, bring perpetrators to justice and ensure victims have access to appropriate legal remedies. It calls on states to promote a safe and supportive environment for journalists to carry out their work independently and without undue influence.
Bonus video:
