The content of texts published in daily Informer last week in the apparent intent to discredit a prominent NGO activist in the fight against corruption and organized crime in Montenegro, Vanja Ćalović, is not protected by freedom of expression on several grounds nor justified by the public interest in a democratic European society.

HRA has informed the competent authority of the United Nations for the protection of human rights defenders about this case, since the writing of the said newspaper is part of the campaign of threats against Vanja Ćalović’s social activism using the most dishonourable methods to confront her.

HRA expects with the utmost attention commentary of the Media Council for Self-Regulation in its next report regarding this case, as well as their other comments about journalism that Informer promotes. 

With regard to distribution of the mentioned newspaper, HRA on 19 June 2014 alerted the State Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Interior for the mass commission of a criminal offense under Art. 211 para. 1 of the Criminal Code of Montenegro, which prohibits showing or public display of pornographic content to children and prescribes a punishment of imprisonment of six months to five years for this act. Certain retail stores for press distribution were given the order to display Informer particularly visibly. We submitted photographs of several kiosks in Montenegro, provided to HRA by several parents, to the Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Interior, showing this newspaper being displayed in front of the press for children, e.g. in front of Politikin zabavnik or pictures of NBA league players (photographs enclosed). If the rule of law actually existed in Montenegro, all press publishing such content would have been sold exclusively in tinted covers, as is the case with pornographic content in other European countries.

Bearing in mind conclusions of the Collegium of the President of Montenegrin Parliament regarding the writing of Informer, that the legislation should be amended, we wish to use this opportunity to reiterate that back in 2010 HRA proposed detailed amendments to the Media Law in relation to the European standards of due professional care, protection of privacy, defining of responsibilities and award of damages. HRA publication from 2010 containing the proposals will once again be submitted to the MP committees in the Parliament of Montenegro.