PERSECUTION CONTINUED: Priests Mirceta Sljivancanin and Zeljko Calic Arrested

Church of Serbia – 18/6/2020

Priest Željko Ćalić was detained for up to 72 hours

After a hearing in the Podgorica Basic State Prosecutor’s Office, priest Zeljko Calic from Danilovgrad was ordered to be detained for up to 72 hours, due to the fact that “there is a well-founded suspicion that he committed a criminal offense of failing to comply with health regulations to combat dangerous infectious diseases according to the Article no. 287 of the Criminal Law of Montenegro”.

After processions held in several Montenegrin cities, the police handed out a summons for questioning to the priests who were listed as organizers of public gatherings.

The police handed out a summons for interrogation to priests in Podgorica, Danilovgrad, Bar, Budva, Pljevlja, Bijelo Polje … Priests Mirceta Sljivančanin from Podgorica and Zeljko Calic from Danilovgrad were deprived of liberty.

They gave statements last night, and today (15^th of June) they will be interrogated, after which it will be decided on their further detention or release. Prior to the procession, the priests called on the faithful to respect the health measures prescribed by the NKT.

The Podgorica police tried to arrest priest Mirceta Sljivancanin at the beginning of the cross procession last night, but the gathered people did not allow it. After the procession, two inspectors handed him a summons for questioning in the Cathedral of Resurrection of Christ.

Revd. Mirceta Sljivancanin went to the Security Center in Podgorica after 10:30 pm to give a statement; he was arrested, and a hearing with the prosecutor was scheduled for 12 noon today (the 15^th of June), who will decide on his further detention or release.

Father Zeljko Calic, the parish priest of Danilovgrad, was taken to the police after a cross procession in Danilovgrad;  he was detained and will be questioned today.

Last night, after a cross procession, the Bar clergy were taken to the police for an informative conversation, and protopresbyter-stavrophore Boris Radovic and deacon Pavle Ljeskovic also gave statements in Budva.

Interrogation of priest Darko Pejic from Bijelo Polje was also announced for today, whereas only a prayer of supplication (moleben) was held yesterday and no procession was held because the church did not have a permit issued by the police.

There was no procession in Pljevlja last night (the 14^th of June), but after a prayer service in the Church of St. Petka, the police interrogated protopresbyter-staurophors Sasa Janjic and Bojan Strunjas. They were released after having given their statements.

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