By The Trade Union of Media of Montenegro (TUMM) expresses concern and disappointment that, more than six months after a group attack on photojournalists Boris Pejović and Stevo Vasiljević in Gornje Zaostro near Berane, the case has still not reached an outcome that reflects the severity of the brutal assault on the two journalists, as well as on media freedom and the public’s right to be informed.
The photojournalists were attacked by dozens of individuals, had their equipment confiscated, and were subjected to threats and physical violence, while being prevented from carrying out their work of public interest. Despite this, only two perpetrators have so far been convicted at first instance.
TUMM therefore welcomes the latest ruling by the President of the Basic Court in Berane, Ivan Došljak, which found Nikola Raičević and Milić Ralević guilty of the criminal offence of coercion against Boris Pejović. This ruling represents one of the few signals that violence against journalists must not go unpunished.
However, we note that in a separate criminal proceeding against Danko Femić, a first-instance acquittal was issued, and that two misdemeanour proceedings against several individuals mostly ended in acquittals.
Such developments, given the seriousness of the attack, leave the impression that the overall institutional response was, to put it mildly, not sufficiently effective.
We expect that this case will not be limited only to the responsibility of Raičević and Ralević, but that all other participants in the attack will be adequately prosecuted and sanctioned.
