Please note that, since the beginning, CA has monitored the trial of journalist Živković. At the first trial we heard the testimony of police officers who confirmed the story of journalists but not the Director of the Police, who claimed that the journalist refused to comply with the order of a police officer. As it turned out that Director Stojanović did not reveal the truth by addressing the Council for Civil Control of Work of Police, we invite him to stop justifying acting of the police officers, but to take responsibility and resign, apologize to the public and to journalist because of interference in judicial process. From the position of Director of Police Directorate he allowed himself to jeopardize seriously right to innocence of journalist Živković.
We would like to remind that international organizations Council of Europe, the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), Amnesty International, Civil Rights Defenders and others have shown great interest for the attitude of the Police towards journalist Dražen Živković, while most of them have publicly reacted and sought information from Ministry of Interior related to treatment of Mr Živković. Council of Europe has already found that, during the protest, police officers also attacked journalist Gojko Raičević and that he is directly threatened by the country.
Finally, CA also requires determining of the command and responsibility of all police officers who acted, which led to illegal arresting of journalist Dražen Živković. It is unacceptable to put handcuffs to a journalist on duty while he does not resist. In this manner they prevented him to do his job and report about activities of the police that were undertaken on a public place and to carry out official duties on behalf of citizens of Montenegro, who have the right to be informed. Journalist Živković claimed that he had shot beating of other citizens by the police, so the Prosecutor and other public bodies have to investigate these allegations to the end, especially since the Council for Civil Control of Work of Police has found a violation of rights of citizen Bajčetić, which was, as Živković claimed, filmed and what was the reason for his arrest. Excessive, unjustified and unlawful use of force in this case, again neglected freedom of expression, just as it was stated in the Report of the European Commission, which assessed there was no progress in this field.
Milan Radović
Coordinator on Human Rights Program
Milica Đokđurić
Coordinator of Media Program
