Montenegro: Menacing Facebook Threats Against Antena M’s Milena Aprcović and Editor Spark Outrage
The Coalition For Women In Journalism demands police take threats against journalists seriously and ensure their safety.
Location: Montenegro, Podgorica
Date: August 8, 2023
Journalists Milena Aprcović and Darko Šuković received death threats online, raising concerns about their safety. The Coalition For Women In Journalism urges police to thoroughly investigate the man harassing them and ensure he causes no harm to the journalists.
On August 8, deputy editor Milena Aprcović and editor Darko Šuković, of prominent Antena M radio portal in Montenegro, received grave threats online, according to the SafeJournalists network. This distressing incident marks the 11th attack on journalists in Montenegro this year alone, with online threats witnessing a recent surge.
The commenter wrote that the journalists "should be eliminated” below an Antena M article on Facebook.
Aprcović and Šuković expressed their genuine fear and distress to police regarding the threats, emphasizing that they believed them to be credible. The language used by the commenter, along with the use of his real name, led the Antena M editors to conclude he was determined to carry out his intentions.
In response, the police swiftly identified the perpetrator as Đorđije Tadić from Nikšić. They carried out a search of his home, during which they found an unlicensed weapon and 115 illegal bullets of various calibers.
Surprisingly, the prosecutor decided to initiate legal proceedings solely for the illegal possession of the weapon, disregarding the threats made against the media employees on the grounds that they did not constitute a criminal offense.
However, due to mounting public pressure, Acting Supreme State Prosecutor Tatjana Begović instructed the Basic State Prosecutor's Office to file a criminal complaint regarding the threats targeting the Antena M journalists.
The Media Union of Montenegro called on the authorities to treat this incident, as well as all threats against journalists and media workers in the country, with utmost seriousness and ensure that the perpetrator is appropriately punished.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the threats against Milena Aprcović and Darko Šuković. We urge authorities to hold Đorđije Tadić accountable and punish him for his actions, sending an unequivocal message to all that threats against journalists are unacceptable.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.