On Thursday 10 August 2023 the police have discovered and confiscated a pistol and ammunition from an individual who had threatened the editorial staff of the radio and portal Antena M (https://www.antenam.net/) via social media. Threats were made against Darko Šuković, editor-in-cheif of Antena M and Milena Aprcović, deputy editor -in– chief. The police statement indicated that “the prosecuting attorney, in relation to the threats made, has determined that there are no elements of a criminal offense for which prosecution should be initiated ex officio.”
The threat against Antena M was made in a comment on the Antena M Facebook page, where a user called for the liquidation of the editor and deputy editor of Antena M. In response to the threats, the Acting Chief State Prosecutor, ordered the police to submit a criminal complaint against the individual for two criminal offenses – endangering security and unlawful possession of weapons and explosive materials.
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is worried over the threats made to the editors of Antena M through social media, condemns the threats and calls on relevant institutions to prosecute the perpetrator.
SEEMO calls also the authorities in Podgorica to investigate all unsolved cases of threats and attacks against journalists in Montenegro from the past and find the perpetrators. Threats and intimidation against media workers can have a chilling effect on press freedom and the ability to provide objective information.
South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non-profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO.
SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.
#fyp #mediafreedom #seemo #freespeech #southeasteuropemediaorganisation#ngo #journalist #journalistunderattack #montenegro #AntenaM#journalistattacked #journalistassault#SEEMO #pressfreedom #mediafreedom #freemedia @antena_m