We are actively identifying and prosecuting group members; criminal charges have been brought forward.
Image: Police Directorate
The Police Directorate has announced that it is executing extensive measures and actions aimed at identifying, locating, and prosecuting members of the informal group “Fortis.” This comes amid allegations that they are involved in criminal activities, including “self-initiated, illegal actions using physical force, threats, and degrading methods to harass and punish individuals to extract statements, publicly humiliate, and discredit those they deem suspects.”
This statement follows a post from an Instagram profile named ‘fortis_organizacija_crna gora,’ where members of the mentioned group purportedly offered their assistance to the Ministry of Internal Affairs in locating alleged perpetrators of criminal offenses.
“This group operates under the guise of helping to identify suspects involved in the sexual harassment of minors, using deception and harassment against individuals they claim have committed offenses against minors on social media,” the police clarifies.
According to their report, police in Podgorica and Nikšić have already filed criminal charges with the relevant prosecutor’s offices against members of this organization, suspecting them of committing crimes related to abuse and violent behavior.
“These extreme discriminatory practices pose a threat to fundamental human rights, including the rights of individuals to a fair and impartial defense in legal proceedings. Thus, any such activities represent unlawful and arbitrary conduct that could be classified as a criminal offense,” the statement emphasizes.
The Police Directorate has pledged to take action to curtail the activities of illegal parallel law enforcement groups, which pose “damaging consequences for the community by undermining the legal system, promoting violence, and threatening human rights.”
“We encourage citizens to report information regarding criminal acts or suspicions to the Police Directorate, thereby aiding in the legal identification and prosecution of offenders without resorting to ‘vigilante justice,'” the statement concludes.
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