The Montenegrin police initiated, then after a week abandoned, misdemeanor proceedings against journalist and columnist Brano Mandić.
On March 7, Mandić announced that proceedings had been initiated against him due to statements in a column in which he criticized the public speech of University of Montenegro professor Aleksandar Stamatović, who commented on the inscription on the female journalist Irena Tatar’s t-shirt, saying that he “liked what is underneath and above it.” This behavior was met with strong public condemnation but no adequate response from the University of Montenegro.
On the same day, a group of NGOs, including the Media Union of Montenegro (SMCG), called on the police to drop the misdemeanor proceedings and send a clear message to the public that constructive social criticism is desirable and that freedom of speech is a protected value.
“Based on a misdemeanor complaint filed by the Police Directorate, submitted by Aleksa Rečević, head of the Public Order and Peace Station in the Podgorica Police Department, the journalist would appear before the court for defending the dignity of a colleague against a sexist public statement made by a university professor in his article, and for pointing out the unacceptable silence of the authorities in this case. Moreover, he could even face imprisonment because of it,” warned the organizations Action for Human Rights, the Center for Democratic Transition, the Center for Investigative Journalism, the Center for Women’s Rights, the Center for Civic Education, the Institute for Media of Montenegro, the Media Center, and SMCG.
The acting director of the Police Directorate, Lazar Šćepanović, on March 11, requested a detailed analysis of the existence of a misdemeanor in the case against Mandić. By March 14, the Podgorica Security Department announced that it had withdrawn the request for initiating misdemeanor proceedings against journalist and columnist Brano Mandić.
“The analysis of the handling of this specific case was based on an additional assessment of a sensitive and specific event that represented criticism of a public statement aimed at protecting a woman’s dignity, while also considering international conventions and standards on freedom of expression. It was also taken into account that public figures must endure increased criticism of their work and in relation to their work and must lead by example in taking responsibility in accordance with their positions,” the police stated.
The police further announced that in the future, in similar events, they will act with special attention and assess all relevant circumstances regarding the existence of a misdemeanor, guided by positive legal regulations and international legal acts and standards, in order to properly establish a balance between criticism and insult on the path to misdemeanor protection.