WORLD NEWS FOR MONTENEGRO DIASPORA
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SOURCE-POBJEDA
Instead of celebrating the Victory Day over fascism, injustice, disrespect and violation of basic human rights bring us together - said civil activist Hajdana Lompar-Huter at today's, second in a row, protest in defense of the rights of former Chief Special Prosecutor Milivoj Katnić, which was held in front of the Special State Court Prosecutor's Office (SDT).
On April 14, Katnić, along with former high-ranking police official Zoran Lazović, was arrested on suspicion of abusing their position by lifting the ban on entry into Montenegro of the then head of a criminal organization from Belgrade, Veljko Belivuk, and his companion Marko Miljković. He has been on hunger strike for 26 days due to political persecution, and since May 6 he has also refused water because special prosecutor Miloš Šoškić and investigative judge Goran Šćepanović continuously violate his rights guaranteed by law, but also try to thwart his participation in the proceedings and hearing. witness in the investigation conducted against him.
All this was pointed out today by citizens who gathered this time in even greater numbers than on April 22. The previous time, they spilled red paint in front of the SDT building, symbolizing "Montenegro blood", and yesterday they performed a performance by lighting candles for corrupt institutions and the "dead judiciary".
The national anthem of Montenegro was sung at the very beginning of the protest, and the citizens sang along.
Those gathered carried placards with the words "the Constitution, laws and human rights died tragically in the hands of the SDT"; "We seek: Non-selective justice, respect for human rights and transparent justice"; "Let's save the life of Milivoj Katnić"; "Death to fascism and revanchism"; "Presumption of innocence and fair trial to save the life of Milivoj Katnić"; "Let's respect the presumption of innocence!"; "We don't judge without a court!" and "Who needs dead Milivoje Katnić".
IMPRISONMENT WITHOUT CHARGE
Activist Hajdana Lompar-Hutter pointed out that the "malignant tails of fascism" brought them together again.
- Today we are here to raise our voice against the most heinous act in the history of the Montenegrin judiciary, to raise our voice against the process dictated by the recruits of the secret services of three countries, cadets, fifth columnists, and special forces of the rehabilitated seventh battalion - she stated.
Lompar said that the collapse of the constitutional order and the merciless trampling of human rights guaranteed by law continues - this time with the persecution of Katnić and Saša Čađenović.
She asked if there are still cases in Europe where the heroes of the judiciary, who saved the country from imminent bloodshed - known as a coup d'état, under the baton of the Russian-Serbian world, are imprisoned without charges.
- Is there a way to reach Montenegro? No, because this is revenge and a staged process in which criminal prosecution led to a "financial investigation" being carried out on the centuries-old Katnić family property in Barjamovica by measuring inherited land, counting tuber houses and karsts along the borders... - stated Lompar Hooter.
She said that the maliciousness of this process is indicated by the fact that by illegal actions, violating procedures and trampling on the laws, they questioned the witnesses in the presence of a defense attorney suitable only for them, which Katnić refused - with the decision to defend himself.
The crowd then shouted "fascists, fascists".
BJEKOVIĆ IS SLEEPING BY ORDER
Lompar Huter asked Ombudsman Siniša Bjeković what was the answer to Katnić's violation of human rights.
- He finally woke up and pretended to be doing his job by giving a shameful announcement about the visit to Katnić, so SDT gives Katnić permission to question the witnesses - but not the ones he persistently insists on being called, but: painters, construction workers and people who have nothing to do with the case investigations. And what is the answer to Siniša Bjeković to the detainee's letter about the violation of his human rights? Siniša Bjeković is silent again. Or maybe he is sleeping again, on orders?! – emphasized Lompar-Hutter.
As she added, civil activists are being targeted again and are being threatened with lawsuits due to freedom of speech, which is called "pressure on the prosecution".
We, gathered here, tell Marković, Novović, Šoškić, Šćepanović and Savić and everyone else that the Constitution of Montenegro and its laws are our holy book, which we have not and will never sin against. We are telling the regime's cyber snipers, quasi-journalists and other rabid dogs that we are not afraid of the gathering centers of the Serbian-Russian world, that we are not afraid of their commanders, Chetnik dukes, cadets of the 63rd Parachute and other agents with and without mantles. We are guardians of the truth, justice and honor of Montenegro - in the name of ancestors and descendants. We are on the side of justice, but where are you?! – asked Lompar-Hutter.
She also asked if "great lawyers" know that according to the judgments of the Court in Strasbourg, death due to a hunger strike is considered murder by the state. Her question was followed by shouts of "treason", "murderers", "fascists".
And you know, Katnic, it's in vain that the experts of the psychiatric profession are lining up to declare you insane. Not going to happen. Let the slaves and strangers know that silence will not inherit you. Death to fascism and revanchism, that Montenegro is eternal - concluded Lompar-Hutter.
A STRAKEED ACT OF REVENGE
Civic activist Svetlana Pajović Music announced that part of the Montenegrin diaspora was at the protest today and thanked them for that on behalf of the Katnić family.
- Katnić has been on hunger strike for 26 days, and since May 6 he has refused to drink water. Considering his state of health, exhaustion from weeks of refusing food, his stay in prison conditions, and his advanced age, it can be expected at any moment that his agony will end in a tragic outcome. We remind you that a rigged political process is being conducted against him, due to his professional activities at the time when he was the first man of SDT because he thwarted a coup attempt organized by the Russian Intelligence Service (GRU) - said Pajović Music.
She added that Katnić decided to go on a hunger and thirst strike until death because the motives for his arrest are eminently political and because, along with an unprecedented lynching in the regime media, he was sentenced in advance on the instructions of power centers located outside Montenegro.
- He radicalized his protest because the current chief prosecutor (Vladimir Novović) in the manner of Stalinist prosecutors imposed on him a defense attorney who is politically close to the actors of the failed coup d'état, and in addition prevents him from examining witnesses himself. In any sovereign and democratic country, Milivoje Katnić would be the room with the highest social-state honors due to the fact that he arrested and prosecuted several hundred criminals, seized several tens of millions of euros of illegally acquired property, and above all that he prevented a bloody civil war, which should have to thwart Montenegro's entry into NATO - she pointed out.
She underlined that the behavior of the puppet Great Serbian regime towards Katnić is a naked act of reckless revenge that threatens the legal democratic order and civil peace in Montenegro.
- Therefore, we appeal to the Montenegrin public, political parties, civil society organizations, ombudsmen, international human rights organizations, representatives of democratic countries in Montenegro to put pressure on the regime through public speech, civil protest or in other ways in order to save the life of an honorable man. and elementary faith in justice and democracy returned. If the persecutions and executions of opponents of the Russian-Serbian world are not stopped, Montenegro will completely sink into the darkness of violence and all kinds of lawlessness with incalculable consequences - concluded Pajović-Musić.
One of those gathered sang: "Oh, Katnić, sharp saber - and this is your battle."
THE TORCH OF MONTENEGRO COURAGE
Journalist and publicist Šeki Radončić thanked the organizers for inviting him to speak about the Katnić case today, on Victory over Fascism Day.
- Which we will win, I hope. This protest shows that civic courage has not disappeared in Montenegro and that the torch of Montenegrin courage will not be extinguished even in the darkest times, which we live in today in the most beautiful country in the world - he said.
He pointed out that people gathered today because of the severe calvary that Katnić is going through.
Which, as we can see, is pre-sentenced to imprisonment until death. And before the indictment and the trial. I state this taking into account his age and health condition, i.e. due to the fact that immediately before his arrest he barely survived a pulmonary embolism. That didn't bother the authorities at all to arrest him and place him in an unconditional cell. It is an example of inhuman treatment. In the case of Katnić's eventual death, this opens up a legal possibility for examining the criminal responsibility of those who contributed to it - noted Radončić.
Pointing out that it has been 26 days since Katnić went on hunger strike, and that he is now also refusing water, Radončić said that it is a matter of hours or days when he will leave for a "more beautiful and just world".
- Now he is also refusing water, protesting that the prosecutor is violating his basic human rights to a fair and just criminal procedure and trial. As a man who for decades dealt with the violation of human rights in Montenegro and beyond, I can state that this is a classic corrupt judicial and political process - pointed out Radončić.
He reminded that the brutal hunt for Milivoj Katnić did not start yesterday, but that it began on October 16, 2016, when, with the help of his associates and other authorities, he prevented a coup attempt in Montenegro and a planned bloodbath directed by Putin's agents.
- With the arrival of the pro-Russian authorities in Montenegro, he was demonized by the media, then, contrary to the views of the Venice Commission, he was dismissed and retired - and finally he was arrested. And as a member of a "dangerous criminal organization", believe it or not, only two members. This is nonsense and another proof that this is a staged political-judicial process - said Radončić.
He said that the superhuman struggle of Katnić that we are witnessing shows that every bad time brings its heroes to the surface.
- For just For 26 days, Katnić became a symbol of the fight against a bad and corrupt government, a symbol of civic courage and sacrifice for his honor, the honor of his family, and ultimately of Montenegro - pointed out Radončić.
He added that nobody's burning until dawn.
- Montenegro will one day erect a monument to Milivoj Katnić for all that he did in preventing the attempted coup and I am sure that one of the streets in Cetinje will be named after him. He deserved it and it will be like that - said Radončić.
He called on the supreme state prosecutor Milorad Marković to issue a binding instruction to the chief special prosecutor Vladimir Novović to allow Katnić to defend himself from freedom.
- Otherwise, he will bear responsibility for everything that happens to Katnić - just like Novović and the prosecutor Šoškić - concluded Radončić.
LEGAL ATTEMPTED MURDER
Boris Muratović, member of the Executive Board of the Democratic Party of Socialists and president of the Club of DPS Councilors in SO Nikšić, said in a statement for Pobjeda that people "saw through the fact that Milivoj Katnić's case was a legal attempted murder".
- I think that the symbolism of today's date is the right day and date for the gathering of those who stood in defense of moral and human values. If we don't take care of the man who is on hunger and thirst strike, then I don't know what we can hope for as a society - said Muratović.
He said that he did not want to give harsh words, but that it was evident that selective justice was present.
People saw through that this was a legal assassination attempt. It is a serious crime. Colleague Oskar Hutter asked a good question in parliament: whose hands will be bloody if something happens to this man? It is necessary to take good account of everything that is happening in Montenegro - Muratović pointed out in a statement for Pobjeda.
The most important thing, he added, is to preserve social and mutual harmony.
- Regardless of which political group he belongs to and what kind of work he does. One human life has no price - concluded Muratović.
A justified revolt
The executive secretary of the Media Council for Self-Regulation, Ranko Vujović, told Pobjeda that today's meeting shows that there is a justified public revolt when it comes to the arrest of Milivoj Katnić.
- Even before his arrest, we witnessed a media frenzy against him, but also the fact that he was spectacularly arrested without any valid evidence... These days we are witnessing that evidence against him is only now being collected, that his family houses are being visited, seedlings are being counted... All this indicates that there are a lot of problems in connection with this arrest and that everything that happened around Milivoj Katnić is quite debatable - Vujović assessed.
The prosecution, he says, is in principle independent and should be so - but what it has so far presented as evidence against Katnić - arouses the public's suspicion that it is an injustice.
- If this way of dealing with Katnić continues, this protest will probably grow - believes Vujović.
Ljubo Čupić and the flag of Yugoslavia
One of those gathered carried a photo of Ljub Čupić with the inscription "The Negro is not a coward, death is watching him - he laughs at it".
The gathered citizens also spread the flag of Yugoslavia.
Among others, the official of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) Boris Muratović, the president of the Montenegrin Helsinki Committee (CHO) Miodrag Vlahović and the president of the Electronic Media Council Ranko Vujović attended the protest.
