The Police Directorate from Montenegro continues to violate fundamental rights of employees from MANS, which is additionally confirmed by the Council for Civilian oversight of the police. In its report, the Council especially noted the fact that this is not the first time that the Police illegally implemented its authority against employees of MANS, so the Council already twice warned the Police that such a practice “violates legal security of citizens and their legal rights”.
MAN, in the end of May of this year, addressed the Council with a complaint on work of police officers who against the law and regulations on the Airport in Podgorica retained, searched and confiscated assets from Vuk Maras, employee of MANS.
During that time, Maras was not informed the reason of his retention and search, nor the confiscation of his assets – a cell phone, except that is done by order of Municipal Prosecutor’s Office (MPO) from Podgorica, without stating what kind of crime prosecution investigates so such a police assistance is needed.
The Council for Civil oversight of police control evaluated that, regardless of such order of MPO, the Police violated Maras’s rights and in its report did not deal with the relationship between the Police and the prosecution. In that regard, the Council gave and the recommendation to the Ministry of Interior to record all failures between the Police and the State Prosecutor that can result in future violations of the rights of citizens when the police officers apply authorization.
There is a whole range of illegal acts done by the state bodies in cooperation with the Police conducted against the work of employees of MANS, starting from illegal monitoring of internet communication and interrogations, senseless complaints and misdemeanor procedures, up to the use of coercion and unlawful arrest.
MANS this continuous kind of repression against our employees experiencing as a direct result of what we are doing and the results in the fight against corruption, and effort of state authorities that to all costs protect party’s interests at the expense of our fundamental rights and public interest in general. In this regard, we believe that it is not coincidental that Maras is harassed by the police exactly a time when MANS published newest information on purchase of ID cards right before the last local elections.
Unfortunately, the state bodies continue to deal with those who investigate and report corruption, instead to focus their resources on the actors of corruption that MANS discovers and reports. Such a treatment of MANS as an organization recognized for its dedication to investigate corruption and organized crime aims to discourage all of those who do not agree corruption to be an integral part of official system.
In legally regulated states the Police is the first ally of the civil society and courageous individuals in the detection of crime, while in Montenegro the Police is nothing else than a tool that the political elite uses to fight against its opponents.
MANS will certainly continue to point on corruption and links between the Government and organized crime, in spite of all obstructions and pressures which we are exposed on a daily basis by the Government and the ruling political elite.
MANS
