21 October 1997

Alert

Trial of "Feral Tribune" journalists to resume in December


Incident details

Viktor Ivancic, Marinko Culic

journalist(s)

legal action


(RSF/IFEX) - The trial of Viktor Ivancic, editor-in-chief of the
satirical weekly "Feral Tribune", and staff reporter Marinko
Culic is set to resume on 22 December 1997.





**Updates IFEX alerts dated 6 May 1997, 10 October, 26 and 19
September, 14 and 12 June and 8 May 1996**


Background Information


The two journalists are accused of having "defamed and insulted"
Croatian President Franjo Tudjman in an article that denounced
plans to bury in the same graves the remains of Croatian World
War Two victims and their executioners at the Jasenovac
extermination camp. Both Ivancic and Culic were initially charged
in May 1996; they were acquitted in September of that year.
However, the September 1996 acquittal was annulled by the Supreme
Court on 5 May 1997, and they were again charged with defaming
President Tudjman. The charges against Ivancic and Culic are
being applied under an article of the Penal Code that re-
establishes crimes of the press and provides for penalties of up
to three years in prison (see IFEX alerts).




Recommended Action


Send appeals to authorities:

  • expressing concern over the renewal of legal proceedings against
    Viktor Ivancic and Marinko Culic
  • calling on them to do everything in their power so that these
    journalists and the rest of the staff of "Feral Tribune" are no
    longer harassed by Croatian authorities




    Appeals To



    His Excellency Franjo Tudjman
    President of the Republic of Croatia
    Zagreb, Croatia
    Fax: +385 1 443 075/444 532/456 5188

    Mr Zeyno Luzavec
    Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Communication
    Prisavlje 14
    10000 Zagreb, Croatia
    Fax: +385 1 611 0691

    Minister of Internal Affairs
    Mr Ivan Jarnjak
    Ministar
    Ministarstvo za unutraSnje poslove Republike Hrvatske
    Savska cesta 39
    10000 Zagreb, Croatia
    Fax: +385 1 443 715







    Please copy appeals to the source if possible.





    • Source

    Reporters Without Borders
    47, rue Vivienne
    75002 Paris, France
    rsf (@) rsf.org


    Fax:+33 1 45 23 11 51

    More on this case

    Severe financial strain put on "Feral Tribune" 20 January 1999 "Feral Tribune" trial postponed again 30 September 1998 Trial of "Feral Tribune" editor Viktor Ivancic and reporter Marinko Culic to resume on 22 December 1997. 19 December 1997 Trial of "Feral Tribune" journalists to resume in December 21 October 1997 "Feral Tribune" journalists Viktor Ivancic and Marinko Culic acquitted of defaming President Franjo Tudjman 26 September 1996

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