Ombudsman: Legitimate criticism increasingly replaced by personal attacks, discrediting and intolerant speech

Of particular concern is the fact that the boundaries of legitimate criticism are increasingly being replaced by personal attacks, discrediting and speech that incites intolerance and social divisions, especially in the online space and on social networks, the institution of the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro announced.

As they said, they are following with concern the continued public targeting, insults and belittling of political actors and other participants in public life, at the local and state levels.

"Freedom of expression and open political debate form the core of every democratic society. However, when public speech loses its connection to issues of public interest and degenerates into insults, belittling and targeting of individuals on personal grounds, then we are no longer talking about a democratic exchange of opinions, but about a phenomenon that seriously threatens social tolerance and the culture of dialogue," they said.

They remind us that they recently published an analysis with, as they state, devastating data on the prevalence of hate speech and other forms of intolerant and disturbing content on portals and social networks.

"The most common targets are people who participate in parliamentary and public life, express their views and otherwise contribute to critical thought and freedom of public debate. It is inconceivable that anyone would feel threatened by such engagement and be discouraged from continuing to exercise their right to address the public as a legitimate right, protected by the Constitution and law. On the other hand, freedom of expression is also a fundamental human right, within the limits of what does not violate public order, endanger public peace and order, disrupt social harmony and insult the honor and reputation of others," they say.

They add that all these circumstances indicate that "there must be an objective legal order that will protect both, including representatives of the media community."

"When it comes to politically engaged figures, we would like to remind you that in a recent analysis of ethical norms in state and local parliaments, we concluded that they are not being used and the rules are not being applied. These standards partly indicate the obligation of adequate behavior inside, but also outside the premises in which parliaments operate, that is, the behavior of representatives of the people during and between sessions," they said.

The Ombudsman's office says that, among other things, the ethical rules stipulate that representatives of parliamentary authorities must "treat citizens, colleagues, employees and the media politely, respectfully and without discrimination" in their actions.

"The codes also state that they will not encourage or assist other elected representatives, officials and employees to violate the rules of conduct established by the code when performing their duties, and that they will publicly point out all cases of illegal behavior or behavior contrary to the rules and principles of the code," they said.

As they point out, it is certain that in their public appearances, political representatives of the people easily and often use what is not in accordance with ethical rules, and that they point out these phenomena selectively and biasedly in relation to political dissenters.

"It is certain that they have an obvious influence on the creation of the general public, which is why a unified stance on the issue of condemning unethical behavior or inciting violence and intolerance towards dissenters and representatives of other political options is essential. If such a reaction is absent, it is quite certain that it produces violence, intolerance, aggression and disparagement outside the premises of parliaments, especially in times of serious political turmoil and crises in society, including pre-election processes that in Montenegro begin much earlier than the election process itself, and practically never end. These phenomena are reflected in the public in a way that they encourage disparagement of MPs and councilors on the street and in other public places, activate hate speech in the online space, use of personal and family opportunities to humiliate or insult political opponents, and finally divert attention from the essence of the problem being discussed," they said.

This institution also reminds us that in the last few years there have been practically no reports of violations of ethical rules on any grounds, as a self-regulatory framework that is envisaged and prescribed by the parliaments themselves.

"In this context, we also recall the importance of initiatives aimed at strengthening social cohesion and trust among citizens, such as the 'Together for the Common Good' project, which is implemented by institutions of the United Nations system in partnership with state institutions. The essence of such programs is precisely the creation of space for dialogue, tolerance, respect for diversity and responsible public communication. The atmosphere of continuous insults, targeting and dehumanization of political dissenters is a direct contradiction to these values ​​and is one of the causes of impaired social cohesion. In the fight against such phenomena, silence cannot be the answer, nor can declarative advocacy, but primarily insistence on respecting the rules of conduct and the obligations that arise from it. This will be a clear signal about what kind of response is required from society and how much public and political figures are protected in this society," they say.

The Ombudsman Institution particularly appeals to all social and political actors to contribute to calming tensions and improving the overall quality of public discourse in Montenegro in the year preceding the new election cycle.

"Ahead of us is a period of particular social and political importance, including the continuation of European integration and expectations that Montenegro will become a member of the European Union by 2028. Such a goal requires democratic maturity, responsibility and a focus on issues of real importance for the quality of life of citizens, and not a return to divisions, revisionism and topics that further deepen social conflicts," the statement concludes.