Human Rights Action (HRA) has called for the Police Administration to respect European standards of free speech, urging the withdrawal of legal action against MP Milan Knezevic. This request follows allegations that Knezevic insulted the Director of the Police Administration, Lazar Scepanovic, during a public protest. HRA argues that public officials, including the police director, must endure a higher level of criticism as part of political discourse in a democratic society.
On February 27, 2026, Knezevic was informed that the Podgorica Security Department had submitted a request for misdemeanor proceedings against him. The charges stem from a statement he made on December 31, 2025, during a protest in Zeta, where he criticized police actions and referred to Scepanovic with the nickname “Bukva.”
HRA contended that while the nickname may be perceived as offensive, the European Court of Human Rights has established that freedom of expression protects statements that may involve a degree of insult or provocation, particularly on matters of public interest. They emphasized that Knezevic’s comments were made within the context of a political protest, which broadens the acceptable threshold for criticism of high-ranking officials.
The organization cited the European Court of Human Rights’ ruling in the case of Oberschlick v. Austria (No. 2), where calling a politician an “idiot” was deemed permissible in political debate. Similarly, in Gaspari v. Armenia (No. 2), the court concluded that terms such as “hooligan” or “idiot” directed at a police chief during protests could be part of legitimate political critique. They also referenced the Bon v. Croatia case, where a local leader was not penalized for referring to a municipality president as “a cockroach.”
HRA further noted the significance of free expression for elected representatives, who serve as advocates for their constituents and highlight issues of public concern. They assert that initiating misdemeanor proceedings based on Knezevic’s remarks constitutes an excessive restriction on political speech and diverges from the standards set by the European Court of Human Rights.
The organization expressed its expectation that the Police Administration would reconsider its decision and withdraw the legal action. Should this not occur, they emphasized that the Podgorica Misdemeanor Court has a duty to thoroughly evaluate and implement all relevant standards from the European Court of Human Rights to safeguard freedom of expression in political debates.
