Montenegro: CFWIJ condemns the assassination attempt of journalist Olivera Lakic

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May 9, 2018- Olivera Lakic was approached by an unidentified man outside her home in the capital, Podgorica. She was seriously injured after being shot in her right leg. The man who attacked her immediately ran away as police teams began their search. Lakic was taken to the hospital, where she is reportedly out of danger. CFWIJ condemns the attempted murder of Olivera Lakic. We consider this assault to be a desperate bid to silence the journalist. We wish her a quick recovery and offer her our full support.

Olivera focuses her coverage on the crimes and corruption in Montenegro. She works for the Montenegrin daily newspaper, Vijesti. Chief editor of the newspaper, Mihailo Jovovic, said Lakic was approached by one man who shot her and two other men who ran away. He said he is speechless, worried for how long the attacks against journalists will continue, fearful of such cowardly menaces.

Mihailo also said that this is the second attack on Olivera after she was targeted six years ago for investigating the murky dealings of a tobacco factory. Police arrested the criminal soon after, and he was sent to jail. Following the attack, the journalist was granted a security detail for her protection.

Several people, including the U.S., U.K., and EU envoys to  Montenegro, gathered outside the government building in Podgorica on Wednesday. They recorded their protest over the shooting and accused the government of failing to protect the journalists.
Malika Tadic Mijovic, a journalist and the president of the Center for Investigative Journalism of Montenegro, shared a picture of the protest on her Twitter account captioned, “protest about the attack on our coworker and journalist, Olivera Lakic.”

Montenegrin Prime Minister Dusko Markovic has asked for an immediate inquiry and expressed his grave concerns over the unfortunate incident. He also called upon the police forces to uncover the perpetrators behind this attack. 

The Coalition For Women In Journalism urges Montenegrin authorities to identify the criminals and provide the necessary security to Olivera Lakic. We hope the Montenegrin government will ensure no such attack on journalists should happen again. We ask them to protect and preserve press freedom in the country.