The Letter of the Bishop of Eastern America to the Vice President of the United States of America
May 16, 2020
The Honorable Mike Pence
The Vice President of the United States of America
Old Executive Office Building
Washington, DC 20501
RE: The Case of Bishop Joanikije of Budimlje and Nikshich in Montenegro
Dear Mr. Vice President:
It is with much consternation that we have learned of the intentions of the State Prosecutor in the city of Nikshich in Montenegro to, once again, bring charges and seek police detention and custody for the local bishop, His Grace Bishop Joanikije of Budimlje and Nikshich, and seven other priests of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
On Tuesday, May 12th, Bishop Joanikije was arrested together with his priests following a religious service and celebration of their Cathedral patronal feast day of St. Vasilije (Basil) of Ostrog the Wonderworker, who is held in great reverence, throughout Montenegro. They were charged with breaking the government ban on public gatherings due to coronavirus and put into custody for 72 hours. They were released on Friday, May 15th around midnight local time.
The public in Montenegro vehemently criticized the arrest and prolonged custody of the bishop and his priests. Other people who were elsewhere charged with the same offence were not put in police custody, but only a fine was assessed. As an example, I would like to draw your attention to the case tried before the Circuit Court of Podgorica Kv. Br. 487/2020 on May 7, 2020 in which the defenders were charged with the same offence as Bishop Joanikije and his priests. In both cases the defendants were charged with defying the prohibition on public gatherings due to coronavirus. In both cases the prosecutors sought custody for defendants since, according to the Montenegrin Criminal Code, the possibility for repetition of the offence constituted legal ground for detention. However, in the first case, the Court denied the request of the Prosecutors for custody citing the relaxation of the measures which had been taking place. Thus, charging Bishop Joanikije and his priests five days later with the same offence and placing them under police custody for the duration of the preliminary investigation is rather alarming.
To add insult to injury, the Prosecutor’s Office in Nikshich announced today, Saturday, May 16th, that they will renew the charges. This means that, according the Montenegrin law, Bishop Joanikije and his priests could once again face jail time in the near future.
Mr. Vice President, we kindly appeal to you as a man of deep and sincere faith, and a peace and justice loving leader of our Nation, to kindly do everything in your power to intercede with the government of Montenegro to cease and desist in their persecution of the Church of God and its bishops, priests, monastics and people in that country, and to advance lawful and constructive dialogue, while fully respecting the right of its citizens to peaceful assembly. The Montenegrin government began the persecution of the Serbian Orthodox Church in December 2019 by seeking to confiscate properties of the Church and now it has gone a step further in an attempt to intimidate and whip into submission any opposition that might come from the clergy or the faithful.
Most respectfully,
+IRINEJ
Bishop of Eastern America
The Serbian Orthodox Church