For a better Criminal Code in Montenegro
On October 2, the last work day ahead of World Animal Day 2020 team Korina Animals organized a small protest in Podgorica entitled “For a better Criminal Code – for a better article 309”, with the intention to draw attention to the Ministry of Justice and the Prosecutor’s Office, but also to all citizens that it is necessary to improve the legislative solution for the crime of killing and torturing animals and destroying their habitats.
- Contact Email: korina.animals@gmail.com
- Location: Podgorica
- Organised by: Korina Animals
Although the official proposal to the working group of the Ministry of Justice to amend this article was submitted in February, when it received a positive opinion in principle, it has not met since then due to the current epidemiological situation, and it is unknown when further work will continue.
Then it was proposed that new crimes become denial of food and water and other exposure of the animal to a distressing condition for a long time, abandonment of domestic animals, pets, raised wild animals and other animals kept under control, as well as training animals to fight, organizing or financing animal fights or fights between animals and humans, and organizing or participating in bets on such fights.
In the previous period, especially during quarantine, the level of domestic violence jumped in the country, which our organization, but also other organizations dealing with the fight against domestic violence, violence against women and children, associate with violence against animals from those households. The response of citizens who are witnesses of these crimes to appear as witnesses before the institutions is still at an unenviable level, which makes the work of the police and the prosecution more difficult.
However, in relation to last year, when the protest on the occasion of the World Animal Day was organized in front of the Basic State Prosecutor’s Office and the Basic Court in Podgorica, we cannot state that the judicial practice has significantly improved.
Therefore, we hope that the proposed amendments to Article 309 will be taken into consideration when the work on the Criminal Code continues and that as many relevant actors as possible will work on shaping a new legislative solution that will be able to follow the reality of Montenegrin everyday life when it comes to killing and abusing animals.