Predrag Veljić (58) admitted to a judge that he uttered insults in front of the Higher Court in Podgorica, but claims that they were not directed only at “Libertas” photojournalist Savo Prelević, but at all journalists.
He said that he apologized, “if he had offended Prelević”.
Veljić was arrested and the Montenegrin police is charging him with committing violations under Articles 7 and 8 of the Law on Public Order and Peace.
Prelević and his legal representative, attorney Dalibor Tomović, asked the court to review the audio-video recording of the incident. However, this was not possible today because the Minor Offences Court in Podgorica did not have a loudspeaker, which is why the hearing was postponed to March 4.
After the hearing, Tomović said that he believed that, given the prosecutor’s binding instruction, the defendant should have been immediately detained and questioned as soon as the incriminating act occurred.
“These are two misdemeanors that the prosecution has charged – insults and threats, and both carry fines and prison sentences,” said Tomović.
“Officers of the Podgorica Security Department have taken measures and actions within their jurisdiction regarding the events of February 12, 2025, and in connection with allegations from a newspaper article published in the media, which referred to threats by PV to a photojournalist from the Libertas press media, SP. By order of the Basic State Prosecutor’s Office in Podgorica, police officers of the Podgorica Security Department have deprived P.V. (58) of his liberty due to violations under Articles 7 and 8 of the Law on Public Order and Peace,” the Police Directorate announced.
Source: Vijesti