| Country | MN |
| Name and Surname | Miroslav Drobnjak |
| Gender | Male |
| Date | 11/10/2017 |
| City / Location | Pljevlja |
| Type of incident | Other threats to journalists |
| By whom | To journalists by citizens |
| Type of media | |
| Media name | Večernje novosti |
| Source | Media/SMCG |
| Public prosecutor | Dismissed charges |
| Was journalist`s association informed | Yes |
| What was journalists' association reaction | The Trade Union of Media of Montenegro was informed about the case through the media, but immediately after that, it contacted the journalist. Since then, SMCG provides legal advice and assistance to Drobnjak. On November 22, the Union addressed to the Council for Civilian Control of Police Operations with a request to examine police actions in this case. Also, the Government Commission for monitoring actions of the competent state authorities regarding the investigations of cases of intimidation and violence against journalists, murders of journalists and attacks on media property - whose member is Marijana Camović, SMCG President - asked from the Basic State Prosecutors Office and the Police Directorate complete documentation related to this incident in order to determine whether institutions timely, had done everything in their jurisdiction to resolve the case. The Trade Union of Media of Montenegro issued a statement regarding this case, and about the incident, which took place in Pljevlja, and the problems that Drobnjak has been facing with it informed the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro, and embassies of the United States of America, the Federal Republic of Germany, and the United Kingdom. |
The vehicle of Miroslav Drobnjak, correspondent of Večernje novosti from Pljevlja, was burned on October 11, and this, as the expert analysis showed, was done intentionally. However, at the end of December, the Basic State Prosecutor’s Office in Pljevlja defined the case as “the destruction or alienation of someone else’s things”, which is prosecuted through a private lawsuit.
More than a month has passed since the incident and the expert’s analysis was finished on October 20 (nine days after the event). However, Drobnjak was informed about that on November 17. In the meantime, no one has been invited to a hearing nor any action was taken to resolve this incident.
For this reason, the Trade Union of Media of Montenegro (SMCG) on November 22, addressed to the Council for Civilian Control of Police Operations with a request to examine police actions in this case. Also, the Government Commission for monitoring actions of the competent state authorities regarding the investigations of cases of intimidation and violence against journalists, murders of journalists and attacks on media property asked from the Basic State Prosecutors Office and the Police Directorate complete documentation related to this incident in order to determine whether institutions timely, had done everything in their jurisdiction to resolve the case.
Upon the request of the Council for Civilian Control of Police Operations Drobnjak was invited on November 29, to Pljevlja Police Station for a hearing. According to him, he was questioned as an offender not a victim. The request to the Council was twice revised, following new developments and actions of the Police Directorate who also put Drobnjak on polygraph testing. The Council concluded that police officers in this case exceeded their powers.
Also, Ombudsman was informed and his opinion on this case was requested. This request was also revised and supplemented with information on actions of the Police Directorate and Pljevlja Basic State Prosecutor’s Office.
