Montenegrin activists and journalists trained to recognise and report anti-LGBTIQ hate speech

LGBT Forum Progres, one of Montenegro’s longest-running LGBTIQ organisations, held a two-day training course, “A Systemic Response to Anti-LGBTIQ Hate Speech”, in the mountain town of Kolašin on 19 and 20 September. Twenty participants improved their skills in recognising, legally classifying and reporting hate speech, the organisation said in a statement.

The group brought together activists, journalists, members of the community and other interested people, which the organisers said allowed an exchange of experience from different sides of the fight against hate speech.

On the first day, Mirko Kojović, a judge at the Basic Court in Nikšić, took participants through hate speech and freedom of expression under the standards of the European Court of Human Rights, and through the practical path from European standards to criminal and misdemeanour complaints in Montenegro.

On the second day, Bojana Jokić, chair of the board of LGBT Forum Progres, led interactive sessions on the legal framework, accountability and protection mechanisms for LGBTIQ people in Montenegro, and on how hate speech is recognised, documented and prosecuted in everyday situations.

“Activities like this help people to take an active part in protecting the human rights of LGBTIQ people in Montenegro, while strengthening the capacity of the community and its allies to recognise hate speech and respond properly when they witness it,” the organisation said.

The training is part of the project “Responding to Anti-LGBTIQ Hate Speech in Montenegro: Legal Aid, Reporting and Local Action”, funded by the European Union and Council of Europe joint programme Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye. It took place just over a week before Montenegro Pride, which is set for 3 October in Podgorica.

Source: cdm.me. English adaptation: gay-serbia.com.