A journalist was arrested in Montenegro for exposing the anti-Serbian policies of local authorities
Montenegrin police arrested 26-year-old Andela Djikanovic, the chief and responsible editor of the FOS Media portal, for publishing news that 250 Kosovo special forces from the ROSA detachment are at the disposal of the Montenegrin security forces in case of a dispersal of a rally against the adoption of a law on “freedom of religion.” The journalist referred to anonymous diplomatic sources.
This was reported by the regional news site Balkan Insight, as reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent.
Djikanovic was placed in custody for 72 hours for “creating panic and disorder,” despite the website taking down the offending article and apologizing. FOS then released a statement that Djikanovic had been fired as editor-in-chief.
However, the prosecutor of Montenegro ordered the detention of the journalist due to the danger that she might repeat her actions.
The journalist's lawyer, Milos Vuksanovic, filed an appeal, calling her detention under the article shocking.
“Djikanovic did not want to reveal her source. She handed over her phone and laptop, from which she published this information,” Vuksanovic told the media.
The Committee to Protect Journalists called for Djikanovic's "immediate release" and for all charges against her to be dropped.
“Journalists should not be jailed for their work, even if they make professional mistakes. The Montenegrin authorities should use legal remedies for such issues, rather than criminal ones,” said CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Director Gulnoza.
Montenegro ranks 104th in the World Press Freedom Index due to lawsuits filed against journalists and harassment and threats by the country's authorities.
A journalist who exposed the anti-Serb policies of local authorities has been arrested in Montenegro.