In April, when you met with U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden at the White House, he expressed support for Montenegro’s aspirations to join the European Union and NATO and emphasized the importance of strengthening democratic institutions, including a free press. However, since that meeting, violations of press freedom have continued unabated and have led to an increasingly threatening environment for independent media in Montenegro.
Prime Minister Milo Đukanović asserted late last year that Montenegro’s journalists enjoy “absolute freedom of expression.” Over the subsequent weeks, reporter Lidija Nikčević of the independent daily Dan was severely beaten with a bat, bombs struck the office (pictured) of another daily, Vijesti, as well as the home of one of its columnists, and arsonists torched one of the paper’s vehicles, marking the fifth such attack on Vijesti since 2011. This is only a sample of the unchecked aggression faced by independent journalists in Montenegro.
In the following letter, Freedom House calls on Vice President Joe Biden to address press freedom concerns in his upcoming meeting with Montenegro's Prime Minister, Milo Đukanović.
Issues:
Civil Society, Freedom of Expression, Human Rights Defense, Media Freedom, Rule of Law, U.S. Foreign Policy
