Montenegro’s high court has seized the passports of two opposition leaders accused of plotting a coup as a precautionary measure.

Andrija Mandic and Milan Knezevic – two of the leaders of the pro-Russian opposition Democratic Front (DF) – are to be tried on accusations of participating in a coup plot aimed at seizing power in Montenegro after the October 2016 general election. While the DF’s members claim this is an attack against them by the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), the prosecution says it has enough proof to charge the party’s leaders. Their trial will begin on July 19.

On the night of October 15, Montenegrin police arrested 20 Serbian paramilitaries suspected of planning to disrupt the general election the next day. Most of them agreed to testify in exchange for shorter jail sentences. During the investigation, the prosecution revealed that Mandic and Knezevic, together with two Russians and several Serbs, were involved in the plot.

The prosecution has accused the two Russians – Eduard Sirokov and Vladimir Popov – of organising the plot. Sirokov was also accused of “preparing acts against the constitutional order and security of Montenegro through incitement” and terrorism. According to earlier media reports, the prosecution has also discovered that Sirokov is a member of the Russian security services.

The leadership of DF called the court’s decision to seize the passports of Mandic and Knezevic "a torture" that is being carried out against Serb politicians in Montenegro and called on Serbia to react, broadcaster RTCG reported on July 7.

The DF also said in a statement quoted by RTCG that the passports had been seized ahead of a planned trip by its leaders to Western Europe aiming to inform the international community about “the depth of political crisis in Montenegro and on the state terror of the ruling party”.

A third DF leader – Nebojsa Medojevic – is also facing a trial on accusations of money laundering. His immunity was lifted at the end of June. The prosecution claims it has gathered enough evidence against Medojevic after arresting three other members of the alleged criminal group who have already testified. They say the money allegedly laundered by the group was used by the DF to finance its election campaign last year.