(ANSA) - TRENTO, SEPTEMBER 9 - Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso
Transeuropa (Obct), together with other organizations fighting
for media freedom, launched an appeal to the Montenegrin
authorities to acquit investigative journalist Jovo Martinovic,
accused of smuggling marijuana and criminal association and
sentenced to 18 months in prison last January. Martinovic was
sentenced despite overwhelming evidence that his only links with
organized crime are due to his work as a journalist, the appeal
reads.
According to OBCT, Martinovic specializes in investigations
into organized crime and his works were published in
international newspapers such as The Economist, Financial Times,
Npr, Bbc. The journalist was the winner of the Peter Mackler
Award for Courageous and Ethical Journalism in 2018.
Martinovic was arrested on 22 October 2015 and held for
almost 15 months before being temporarily released. The appeal
trial will take place in Podgorica on 12 September.
"An acquittal would be a great step towards media freedom and
legality. It is time to stop the trials and intimidation against
investigative journalists working for freedom and information.
If convicted again, Martinovic would be the only journalist in
prison in the entire Balkans and in the EU", said Nora
Wehofsits, Advocacy Officer of Ecpmf, a program of which OBCT is
a partner. (ANSA).
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