OSCE in Montenegro presents publication on protecting individual rights and freedom of media
At an event in Podgorica held on 22 July 2014, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro presented the book “Civil Aspects of Protection of Individual Rights and Freedom of the Media”.
The book was produced as part of the Court Monitoring Project - Phase III conducted by the OSCE Mission’s Rule of Law and Human Rights Programme. Authored by Zoran Pazin, State Agent of Montenegro to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, the publication was funded by the British Embassy in Podgorica.
The publication is designed to serve as a tool to assist the Montenegrin judiciary, civil society and media in resolving contentious issues related to individual human rights and freedom of the media.
The Head of the OSCE Mission, Ambassador Janina Hrebickova, said: “The focus on the judiciary is particularly relevant to address the challenges in ensuring the balance between basic human rights, including freedom of expression, and the protection of personal dignity. Striking this balance is particularly important now that Montenegro has decriminalized defamation, which the OSCE has been strongly supporting. The OSCE works hard to help strike this balance, through safeguarding media freedom, but also supporting the enforcement of all human rights protection mechanisms, including the presumption of innocence, and the protection of personal and private data.”
During the presentation of the book, the author of the book Zoran Pazin said: “The current system in which court proceedings include proving the existence of psychic pain to establish a violation of personal rights is outdated, and does not correspond to the current realities, particularly because it is the only legal way in which one can protect the personality right”.
This year, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro will continue providing support to the country in this area: in co-operation with the Judicial Training Centre, the Mission will organize a workshop for prosecutors and judges on compensation for non-pecuniary damages, especially in cases of infringement of the honour, reputation, dignity, and private life of individuals.