Montenegro clashes after priests arrested for lockdown violation
Montenegro law enforcement fired tear gas on Wednesday in clashes with demonstrators protesting against the arrest of a Serbian Orthodox bishop and seven priests suspected of violating coronavirus lockdown steps by organising a procession.
A huge selection of protesters clashed with law enforcement in the northwestern community of Niksic and many other areas after officials detained Niksic bishop Joanikije Micovic and the priests who were remanded found in custody for 72 time.
Several thousand people took part on the religious procession placed Tuesday evening on Niksic in what prosecutors called a violation of health regulations to stop the distributed of the virus.
After Wednesday's arrests, Niksic police fired teargas to disperse the crowd pelting stones and bottles at them, local media reported. Some protesters were detained.
Police also resorted to teargas found in the northwestern village of Pljevlja.
Two policemen were injured, and several protesters were detained there, local law enforcement said in a declaration.
The Bishop and the priests are accused of "failing woefully to comply with health regulations to combat a dangerous infectious disease", a prosecutors' statement said.
The eight clerics "violated the ban on public gatherings and organised a religious service in the roads of Niksic, attended by a huge number of residents", the statement added.
If found guilty they face up to 12 years in jail.
Lockdown methods were eased this week on the Balkan nation allowing churches to carry mass again.
Believers must abide by social distancing guidelines and don face masks at the services.
But all the large public gatherings just like the one held in Niksic remain not permitted.
The country of 620,000 persons has 324 recorded coronavirus infections and nine deaths.
The Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC), whose seat is in Belgrade, is Montenegro's main religious body although the country split from Serbia in 2006 after practically 90 years.
Ties between your SPC and the authorities led by President Milo Djukanovic, who has been in power for nearly 3 decades, became strained following the adoption of a good controversial religious freedom legislation in December.
Regulations could see a sizable number of monasteries held by the SPC become state property.
The SPC accuses Djukanovic of using the legislation to improve the fortunes of the independent Montenegrin Orthodox Church, which nonetheless lacks global recognition.
In Belgrade, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and the SPC head Patriarch Irinej voiced their "deep concern" over the arrests in a joint statement.
The patriarch condemned what he called the "persecution of Orthodox Church by the Montenegrin state" while Vucic said he hoped the priests would be "released immediately."--AFP
