European Federation of Journalists

European Federation of Journalists

Montenegro: Violence against journalists is unacceptable and dangerous


On Saturday (17/10/2015), the police in Montenegro violently broke peaceful protests and two journalists were subsequently detained. Drazen Zivkovic, a journalist working for the daily newspaper Dan and Gojko Raičević, the chief editor of an online news portal IN4S were detained after being obstructed from filming the police action against politicians from the opposition parties. Press photographers who came to the site of obstruction were also pushed by police and banned to report from the scene.

“The Trade Union of Media of Montenegro (SMCG) strongly condemns the actions of the police towards journalists and photographers during and after the action of the police and municipal services on the Boulevard Saint Peter of Cetinje in Podgorica”, said SMCG (EFJ-IFJ affiliate in Montenegro) in a press release. “We believe that it is unacceptable and dangerous to use the violence and obstruction of journalists and media workers on the job, regardless of the circumstances that were the reason of the police action” added the trade union.

The next day, a new protest was organized in response to the violence used by the police. After the demonstration, few individuals stoned the office of TV Pink M which injured some journalists working for this media. The SMCG “strongly condemns the attack on the offices of TV Pink M, destruction of property of the media and particularly harming the colleague Ivana Drobnjak. (…)”Journalists and media staff are totally unprotected, still under fire and collateral damage of the events in society and this situation has to change. Trade Union of Media appeals to the protesters, the organizers of protest, police and utilities to show more understanding for the profession that we do but also their own democratic capacity”, said the Trade Union of Media of Montenegro.

Photo Credit : SMCG