A French prosecutor criticized selective media leaks in Montenegro: They threatened to suspend cooperation

That the targeted and selective release of information to the media in Montenegro is neither democracy nor the proper conduct of criminal proceedings is an objection raised by a state prosecutor of the Republic of France. Our prosecutor received a letter from France, longer than one page, in which such behavior is deemed unacceptable, along with a warning - if this continues, cooperation will be withheld. This was stated last night on the TV show „Proof“ („Dokaz“) on Television E by lawyer Nikola Martinović.

The lawyer recounted a case he had previously experienced, when information related to a proceeding that was closed to the public appeared in the media, meaning everything said had to be kept as an official secret.

- In my case, I was a witness, and it has remained on record and we will probably deal with it at some point, that in a case where I acted as a defense attorney, in which I was obliged to keep everything I heard as an official secret, therefore the public was excluded. One evening, a media outlet published everything we had said. When I saw that, I was stunned. It could have been disclosed by me, the prosecutor, or the accused, because only the three of us were in that room - Martinović said during his appearance on the show.

He added that he filed a complaint also due to being denied access to evidence.

- Because it is disgraceful that I, as a defense attorney, am denied access, which they did saying „this is very important, even you as the defense must not know it“, and that they would provide it in some later case. I wrote: „Are you people normal? You didn’t give it to the defense, you closed the investigation, and now it’s on the evening news“. They did not respond, but interestingly, the next day the same media outlet, after learning that I had filed a complaint, published a photograph of the official record - the lawyer said.

Then, after three or four months, while copying the case files, Martinović noticed that a French prosecutor had made the same remark as he had regarding relations with the media and the selective release of information.

- I was copying the files and realized that the same objection I had - that such a relationship with the media and the targeted, selective release of information is neither democracy nor the conduct of criminal proceedings -  had also been written by a state prosecutor of the Republic of France. Afterwards, our state prosecutor had to justify why it was done that way. From France, the prosecutor received a letter longer than one page stating that such behavior is unacceptable. They warned them - if this continues, we will suspend cooperation. It says so, I have that letter in one of my client’s case files - the lawyer emphasized.

According to Martinović, the link between prosecutors and the media is historically a method used when you want to carry out persecution.

- In Montenegro, through cooperation between the prosecution and the media, you shape public opinion that will say - convict him. I believe that if you created such a connection against the church, Montenegrins would be driving sheep back into churches by tomorrow again - Martinović concluded.