Montenegro
ENTRY INTO FORCE of the European Convention on Human Rights
6 June 2006
Number of implemented cases*
54
Examples
Man cleared of defamation after responding to allegations of contaminated drinking water
Zoran Šabanović was given a suspended prison sentence for defamation over claims he made related to water contamination. The European court found that Zoran’s conviction breached his right to free speech. Montenegro then decriminalised defamation and Zoran was acquitted after a re-trial.
Montenegro
Justice for magazine editor ordered to pay huge damages – and new rules to protect free speech
Retired journalist Veseljko Koprivica was ordered to pay huge damages after losing a defamation case. The European court ruled that the damages awarded were so excessive that they violated his right to free speech. A ruling by the Supreme Court of Montenegro specified that damages for defamation should not be high enough to discourage journalists from playing their key role in society.
Legal reforms after court-ordered child support was unpaid for thirteen years
Snežana Boucke had a baby daughter out of marriage. The father was ordered to pay child support. The authorities failed to make sure the order was enforced, and the payments were not made for 13 years. The European court ruled that this breached Snežana's right to have court rulings properly enforced. The case led to significant reforms to improve the enforcement of court orders.
* This figure includes all judgments and decisions from the European Court of Human Rights (including friendly settlements) concerning which the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers has decided that all necessary follow-up measures have been taken. Source: the database of the Department for the Execution of Judgments of the ECHR, HUDOC-EXEC.