In Montenegro, the realm of human rights saw little change, with the State Department noting ongoing challenges, including severe restrictions on freedom of expression and media.

In the newly released 2024 human rights report, the State Department highlighted credible claims of “torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, along with serious limitations on freedom of expression and media.”

The report states, “The government made minimal progress in addressing human rights violations by holding officials accountable.”

It also recalls criticism from the Human Rights Action (HRA), the Civil Alliance, and other NGOs regarding the government’s lack of progress in war crime prosecutions and recognition of victims from the conflicts of the 1990s.

The “trial of Slobodan Peković, accused of murdering two Bosniaks in 1992 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, continued until the year’s end. This marked the first trial for sexual violence in the country,” the report stated.

In June, the Special State Prosecutor’s Office initiated an investigation against former Special Prosecutor Milivoj Katnić for alleged war crimes committed in Croatia during the breakup of the former Yugoslavia. The prosecution accused Katnić of “inhuman treatment of Croatian civilians, which included attacks, torture, and bodily harm.”

The Government Committee on Missing Persons continued its efforts to monitor and propose solutions for the issue of missing individuals from the armed conflicts in the former Yugoslavia. The Center for Civic Education remarked on the insufficient systemic dedication to locating and identifying all missing persons from the 1990s, as noted by the State Department.

Freedom of Media: Hate Speech, Threats, Insults, Targeting

Regarding media freedom, the report mentions that journalists and civil activists have been subjected to hate speech, verbal threats, and insults, with officials targeting critical media. This environment, combined with unresolved attacks on journalists, has undermined freedom of expression.

“While there are no reports of physical force being used against the media, officials still targeted critical journalists and media outlets. Unresolved attacks from previous years have fostered a climate of intimidation,” stated the State Department.

It was noted that on July 31 of the previous year, the Senior Court in Podgorica upheld the indictment from the Special State Prosecutor’s Office against 14 individuals suspected of involvement in the 2018 attack on investigative journalist Oliver Lakić. The accused have been charged with forming a criminal organization and committing multiple offenses, including murder, illegal possession of weapons, and drug trafficking.

Russian Media Accessible Despite Ban

The authorities also highlighted the decision to ban the broadcast of Russian state media, including Russia Today, Sputnjik, and Rossiya 1, citing that these banned outlets remain accessible.

The electronic media agency updated the prohibitions from 2022 to include these channels and 20 specific Russian media platforms across satellite, IPTV, internet services, video content, or application platforms.

“Certain observers, including the Digital Forensic Center of the Atlantic Federation of Montenegro, have noted that the authorities did not fully enforce the ban, as these prohibited media outlets are still available,” stated the State Department.

Low Salaries and Political Pressures Contribute to Self-Censorship

The report further indicates that independent media claimed exposure to unfair treatment and economic pressures from government agencies.

“Low salaries and political pressures have led to self-censorship, amidst threats of violence and attacks based on ethnic and religious issues, as well as instances of corruption and smuggling,” the report underscores.

The State Department referenced an incident on November 11, when the basic state prosecutor’s office in Podgorica initiated a case against Luka Bećirović, allegedly acting as a bodyguard for his father Zoran Bećirović. The accusations arose from a verbal and physical assault on journalist Ana Raicković near a fast food restaurant in Podgorica on November 10.

Consequently, Zoran Bećirović, associated with the former government, has been previously accused of issuing threats and insults towards state officials and political parties. The media union reported this as the 18th case of attacks or threats, including those made via the internet, against journalists in the past year.

According to media unions, 14 of these incidents were reported to law enforcement and prosecutors for further action, as highlighted in the report.