After the repeated attack on Todor Vujosevic, actor of the TV clip “We are part of the team!” (Mi smo dio ekipe!”), which is promoting protection of rights of LGBT population, the non–governmental organizations Human Rights Action, Centre for Civic Education and LGBT Forum Progress warn Montenegrin public about the existence of an apparently organised group of people ready and willing to physically attack people in the cover of darkness. The solely “guilty” of Todor Vujosevic in this incident, as well as in the previous one, is the fact that he tried to contribute to the protection of human rights of sexual minorities through his professional engagement.

We inform the public of the inappropriate police conduct, which failed to fulfill its duty of protecting the fundamental values on which Montenegro is rhetorically based upon, i.e. human rights. Already one month ago the two attacked artists – Todor Vujošević and Danilo Marunović, together with their friend – the journalist Mirko Bošković urged the police to carry out a security checking concerning their situation and to provide them protection. However, the police haven’t acted professionally in this regard. Moreover, they informed police that at least three more persons had been involved in the attack. Still these haven’t been identified yet, nor is it known that police is really looking for them at all. Finally, Vujošević states that during the latest incident police officers were exclusively focusing on him, who had been calling for help, instead of trying to catch those who had committed the attack.

If police officers are ready to close their eyes while any citizen is jeopardized for the benefit of criminals, none could ever feel safe. We urge responsible police chefs to ensure, through their professional conduct, the enhanced protection of those citizens that are defending and promoting human rights in Montenegro, and in particular regarding rights of LGBT population, as they have been target of obviously systematic attacks.

We urge all the representatives of the Government, the opposition, as well as organizations that are working publically to take their part of responsibility in securing the respect of the basic civic values of Montenegro, i.e. human rights to security, freedom of thought and expression and prohibition of discrimination.

Human Rights Action, Centre for Civic Education and LGBT Forum progress do believe that a serious security checking for these persons must be carried out. They are without doubt targeted due to the intolerance and aggression of certain organised social structures and encouraged by the lack of adequate police measures.

Moreover, we urge the decision makers to demonstrate responsibility in their acting, in particular towards shaping public opinion and promote tolerance. Only in this way, with legal and dedicated work of the institutions in charge, we can ensure an environment where we won’t have such examples of jeopardizing individuals, hooliganism and tendencies of impunity for such acts.

Tea Gorjanc Prelević, executive director of Human Rights Action

Daliborka Uljarević, executive director of the Centre for Civic Education

Zdravko Cimbaljević, executive director of LGBT Forum progress