Freedom of the Press 2007: Montenegro

PEN International, in collaboration with various Balkan PEN centres, publishes a report examining the many challenges faced by independent writers and journalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia.

Leading press freedom and journalists’ organisations, including Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners, strongly condemn the decision by the Court of Appeals to reject Jovo Martinović’s appeal and uphold the first instance verdict of the High Court in Podgorica which convicted the journalist to 12 months of prison.

The High Court of Montenegro sentenced investigative journalist Jovo Martinović to one year in prison for participating in drug trafficking, despite clear evidence that he was working undercover as part of an investigation at the time.