In the occasion of the tenth attack on Slobodan Pejovic, the public witness of war crime of the deportation of Muslim refugees from Montenegro to the army of Republic Srpska in 1992, which the Montenegrin police and the judiciary system did not prevent, as well as they did not adequately investigate and sanctioned none of the previous attacks, we express
A P R O T E S T
– because Montenegro, obviously, only rhetorically accepts international obligations in relation to the protection of human rights, without its application in practice;
– because the state allows and tolerates, for the tenth time, that the witness of war crime is publicly intimidated by those who are probably war criminals themselves;
– because Slobodan Pejović has never been given a public recognition by the higest state officials of Montenegro, for his courageous testimony that clears the name of the Montenegrin police, but remains a forcibly retired police officer who deals alone with attacks on his property and family;
– because of all the above mentioned the atmosphere of impunity for the most serious crimes is supported in Montenegro thus frightening those who bravely and honorably oppose such crimes.
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This protest, together with the supplemented chronology of the ten previous attacks on Slobodan Pejović will be sent today to the United Nations, Council of Europe, European Commission, OSCE and the ambassadors in Montenegro.
ALFA Centre
Human Rights Action
ANIMA
Centre for Civic Education
Centre for Development of NGOs
CEMI
European Movement in Montenegro
House of Hope
Youth Initiatives for Human Rights
Institute Alternative
League of Women Voters in Montenengro
International Forum ‘Montenegro”
OKC Juventas
Shelter
Women Action
Association of citizens of Bukovica
Association of Lawyers of Montenegro
Aleksandar Saša Zeković, researcher of human rights violation
Dragoljub Duško Vuković, journalist of PCNEN
Milka Tadić Mijović, journalist of Monitor
Maja Kostic Mandić, profesor of the University of Montenegro
Mirjana Kuljak, profesor of the University of Montenegro
Lela Šćepanović, journalist of Radio Montena
Petar Komnenić, journalist of TV Vijesti
Slavica Brajović, journalist of Radio Free Europe
Tanja Pavićević, journalist of daily Vijesti
Šerbo Rastoder, president of the Bosniak Council of Montenegro
Slavica Vukčević, executive director of Montenegro Adventures
Snežana Nikčević, journalist of RTCG
Sonja Radošević, freelance journalist
Šeki Radončić, journalist
Veseljko Koprivica, journalist of Monitor
Vladimir Nedović, citizen
Omer Šarkić, citizen
Chronology of attacks and threats against Slobodan Pejović:
The assassination of Slobodan Pejović was tried twice. In 1992 at the car, someone shot at the car in which he was driving with his wife and children, and in 1993 when he was sent on a business trip in a vehicle whose brakes cancelled, since these were previously disabled, in line with the findings of a mechanic. None of these attacks was ever investigated.
By the end of the 90s Pejović has repeatedly, anonymously was receiving death threats.
From 2000 to 2004 his car was destroyed four times, which Pejović duly reported to the police. None of these cases has ever been cleared.
In August 2006 the state prosecutor presented Pejović a call for testimony in the investigation of war crime of the deportation of Bosnian refugees in 1992, in a way that masked members of special squad, fully armed, at 11 p.m. came to his house to deliver this call for a hearing which was held day after. According to the testimony of Pejović’s family the serving of this call was frightening and looked like an arrest attempt of a terrorist.
In December 2007, while walking, Slobodan Pejović was attacked by Vuk Selić with a metal rod. Since Pejović successfully defended himself Selić was arrested. However, the investigation against him stalled, the initiators where never found and with the first degree verdict Selić was sentenced on probation.
In 2008, windows on Pejović’s house and car were broken and on a car seat he found a message “mined”.
In September 2009, a window on Pejović’s car was broken, and a large caliber bullet, mostly used for hunting wild animals, was left on his driver’s seat.
On the 10 November 2009 the car of Slobodan Pejović again was trashed.
On 16 September Human Rights Action requested in a letter to the Supreme State Prosecutor, in accordance with the Law on Witness Protection, to contact Pejović and in agreement with him, to decide on appropriate measures for his protection. Although, after this letter, the Higher state prosecutor contacted Pejović, protection measures are still not approved.
