Today, Zoran Radović, the President of the Higher Court, visited the Remand Prison to engage with several detainees advocating for the continuation of their hunger strike.

“Vijesti” has received reports from various sources within the Directorate for the Execution of Criminal Sanctions indicating that Radović spoke with arrested lawyer Dimitrije Dapčević and detained politician Milo Božović, both from Budva.

Moreover, he conversed with accused Mario Milošević and another detainee during his visit.

The Higher Court disclosed that Radović was invited by the detainees to discuss their concerns at the Podgorica Remand Prison, particularly with those who had initiated a hunger strike.

“The representatives of the detained individuals did not impose any conditions for their attendance at court sessions. They raised several objections primarily concerning specific issues related to their criminal proceedings and noted the overcrowding issues in the Remand Prison, impacting their rights as detainees,” stated the High Court.

They will communicate the details of the conversations to Valentina Pavličić, the President of the Supreme Court, and Bojan Božović, the Minister of Justice.

The Directorate for the Execution of Criminal Sanctions announced its respect for the right to strike, noting that 42 detainees are participating in this form of protest.

A letter sent to “Vijesti” from the Remand Prison articulated five demands from the detainees, including a request for their cases to be adjudicated by criminal judges rather than ex-prosecutors and litigators appointed specifically for this purpose.

Additionally, they demanded that “messages” (correspondence) not be processed in multiple “organizations,” but rather consolidated, arguing that they should not face extended criminal charges for this.

Some detainees have declared their intent to commence a hunger strike starting today.

This information was conveyed in an unsigned letter submitted to “Vijesti” on Friday, April 4, where they called for visits from the state president or government leaders, the minister of justice, the ombudsman, and the president of the Supreme Court.

In the same correspondence, they expressed grievances about the conditions and announced that, starting today at 15:00, they will cease consuming food, placing orders from the canteen, and refusing to attend trials.

The detainees participating in the strike are accused of severe crimes and are predominantly linked to Montenegrin drug cartels.

The Directorate for the Execution of Criminal Sanctions reported that a group of four detainees initiated the strike, prompting Zoran Radović’s visit to the Remand Prison today.

“On April 8 and 9, a group of 2025 detainees in the Podgorica Remand Prison initiated a strike to express their dissatisfaction with the administrative conditions, court proceedings, and the alleged infringement of fundamental human rights and legal standards. During this event, the President of the Higher Court, responsible for supervising detainees, visited the Remand Prison. He engaged with several detainees who sought direct communication to share their viewpoints and concerns,” stated UIKS.

They affirmed that UIKS will implement all necessary measures to uphold the right to strike while ensuring order and security within the Administration.

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