Higher State Prosecutor’s Office in Podgorica urged to immediately initiate proceedings over Mladić chants

We call on the Higher State Prosecutor’s Office in Podgorica to immediately initiate proceedings over the unsportsmanlike conduct of fans at the Zeta - Grbalj football match in Radanovići, during which the name of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić was chanted from the stands - reads a joint statement issued by several non-governmental organisations and civil society activists.

They welcomed the decision of the Disciplinary Commission of the Football Association of Montenegro to initiate proceedings over the incident. As they point out, this is the same pattern of behaviour that they condemned in March, when the same name was chanted at a basketball game between KK Vukovi Zeta and KK Ibar Rožaje.

- The response of the Disciplinary Commission is encouraging and important for protecting sport from nationalist radicalisation, but it is not sufficient. Given that the situation is recurring, it is equally important for sports clubs and other institutions to act preventively and clearly tell their players and fans that there is no place for the glorification of war criminals in sports venues or on the stands - the statement said.

They added that institutions are obliged to act when prevention fails.

- Glorifying convicted war criminals constitutes the criminal offence of inciting hatred and intolerance, for which the Criminal Code of Montenegro prescribes a prison sentence of six months to five years. This issue, therefore, is not merely a sporting matter, but also a criminal-law matter. We therefore believe that the Higher State Prosecutor’s Office in Podgorica, like the Disciplinary Commission, should have immediately issued a public statement regarding this new case - the joint statement said.

They added that it was particularly concerning that, since March, when they first spoke out and a case was opened over the chants at the basketball game in Zeta, the prosecution had continued merely to conduct preliminary investigative activities, with no progress whatsoever towards identifying and prosecuting those responsible.

- The slowness and lack of transparency in the authorities’ handling of the case send a message that the glorification of war criminals is tolerated, which in turn encourages the recurrence of such incidents - as has just happened, this time on a football pitch - the joint statement said.

They called on the Higher State Prosecutor’s Office in Podgorica to urgently announce the outcome of the preliminary investigation into the March case.

- Institutional accountability must be consistent and timely, rather than selective and sporadic. The rule of law, which is also reflected in combating hate speech, is a prerequisite for Montenegro’s accession to the European Union - the joint statement concluded.

Signatories:

Human Rights Action (HRA)

Antifascists of Cetinje

Association Spektra

Centre for Democracy and Human Rights

Centre for Civic Education

Centre for Monitoring and Research

Centre for Development of Non-Governmental Organisations

Centre for Women’s Rights

Centre for Women’s and Peace Education ANIMA

Montenegrin LGBTIQ Association Queer Montenegro

Montenegrin Philological Society

Montenegrin Committee of Lawyers for the Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms

Montenegrin Scientific and Technological Hub - epiSTEMe

Montenegrin PEN Centre

Montenegrin Women’s Lobby

Dr Martin Schneider-Jacoby Association - MSJA

Society of Montenegrin Publishers

Expeditio

Forum for Youth and Non-Formal Education (Forum MNE)

Civic Initiative 21 May

Media Institute of Montenegro

Ipso Facto

Juventas

Open Centre „Bona Fide“ - Pljevlja

Prima

Alliance for Children and Youth Kuća

Safe Women’s House

Association of History Teachers of Montenegro - HIPMONT

Parents’ Association

„Štrpci - Against Forgetting“ Association

Women’s Action

Dina Bajramspahić, civil society activist

Jovana Marović, civil society activist

Milena Bešić, civil society activist

Nikoleta Đukanović, civil society activist

Vesna Rajković Nenadić, journalist

Ana Milović Jasikovac, civil society activist