Non-governmental organisations MANS, Centre for Civic Education (CCE) and Institute Alternative (IA) strongly condemn police brutality over citizens. We urge Minister of Interior Raško Konjević and Director of Police Directorate Slavko Stojanović to urgently undertake measures against police officers who exceeded official authorities.
MANS, CCE and IA assess that publically available video footage, where it can be seen how citizen are being beaten up, present clear evidence that some police officers used unlawful force. We believe that police is obliged and bound to secure respect of the law and to use force only when necessary so that they would not turn into violators of law themselves.
We are particularly concerned over the fact that neither the minister, nor the director of Police Department, condemned such behaviour of police officers, not even in the case of citizen Mijo Martinović, whom police officers inflicted severe bodily injuries and destroyed his property, for which there is evidence publicised by part of Montenegrin media and available on social media. Should they fail to react, we will assume that minister Konjević and director Stojanović are personally responsible for unlawful treatment by the police and violence over citizens of Montenegro.
Role of police forces in the defence of Constitution and law is of special importance, and it is thus of crucial importance for overall credibility of police organisation to immediately suspend all those who exceeded their authorities along with further proceeding in line with the law.
Vanja Ćalović Stevo Muk Daliborka Uljarević
MANS Executive Director President MB of IA CCE Executive Director