Human Rights Action (HRA) welcomes the opinion of the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro – the Ombudsman – issued on May 9, 2025. The Ombudsman upheld HRA’s complaint, finding that the display of a chapel insignia on the uniform of the Special Police Unit during this year’s Dubai SWAT Challenge violated the principle of non-discrimination, making the Ministry of Internal Affairs responsible for this breach.

The Ombudsman recommended that the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the authority responsible for regulating the design and content of official insignia—including those of subordinate units—take appropriate measures to amend the insignia displayed on the Special Police Unit’s uniform. This amendment should respect the principles of non-discrimination and equality, aligning with the civic and secular character of the state of Montenegro. The Ministry is required to submit a report within 30 days of receiving this opinion, detailing the steps taken to implement the recommendation.

The Ombudsman established the following facts: the official website of the UAE SWAT Challenge displayed the name of the Montenegrin unit alongside a photograph of an insignia featuring the chapel on Mount Lovćen; the same unit participated in last year’s competition but used the national coat of arms – the double-headed eagle – as its insignia at that time; and the Police Directorate confirmed that the Special Police Unit’s insignia featured the Lovćen chapel from 1998 to 2015.

The Ombudsman explained that discrimination occurred due to the use of a symbol representing a particular religious community on the uniform of a police unit in a country whose Constitution defines it as civic and secular—one in which religious communities are separated from the state. Additionally, the Law on Internal Affairs mandates that police duties must be carried out in accordance with principles such as professionalism, impartiality, and non-discrimination.

Additionally, Human Rights Action (HRA) expresses concern regarding the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ harsh and combative political rhetoric aimed at anyone who dares to voice criticism. In its response to our complaint, the Police Directorate accused Human Rights Action of a “manipulative attempt to politicize the Police Directorate and its officers, and to involve them in current issues related to religious and national matters” (Point 4, Paragraph 2 of the Ombudsman’s opinion, attached).

HRA firmly rejects these unfounded accusations, emphasizing that presenting facts and highlighting instances of discrimination cannot be deemed manipulation in any regard. On the contrary, the responsibility for the use of the disputed insignia rests solely with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Police Directorate, neither of which has provided an explanation to date regarding how or why the insignia was changed, or who authorized the modification.
Human Rights Action believes that it is the duty of responsible public officials in a democratic society to show at least basic respect—if not gratitude—toward civil society organizations and all others who legitimately raise concerns regarding violations of laws and constitutional principles in the public interest. We should all share the same objective: the protection of a legal order rooted in human rights.

We call upon all citizens and residents of Montenegro to continue monitoring the conduct of public institutions and to report their concerns to the Ombudsman and other competent authorities responsible for the protection of human rights. We look forward to a time when public officials respond to legitimate reports of legal violations with a sense of accountability toward their public duties and a genuine commitment to upholding the rule of law in Montenegro.