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ALERT UPDATE – CROATIA

30 June 1999

Weekly newspaper "Nacional" object of harassment

SOURCE: Reporters sans frontières (RSF), Paris

**Updates IFEX alert of 17 June 1999**

(RSF/IFEX) - In a letter to Justice Minister Zvonimir Separovic, RSF has protested the harassment against the weekly newspaper "Nacional". Following a 26 June 1999 search of editor-in-chief Ivo Pukanic's apartment by police from the anti-terrorist unit, RSF expressed concern about "the pressure placed on the weekly 'Nacional'" in the last several months and asked "that light be shed on this case."

In early June, police from the anti-terrorist unit searched the editorial offices of "Nacional" and on 16 June, they searched the homes of Pukanic and journalist Robert Bajrusi. On 2 June, "Nacional" had published an article by Bajrusi, as well as copies of police reports, which would appear to prove that the Croatian secret services have put pressure on soccer referees in order to rig the finals of the national soccer championship. On 23 June, "Nacional" revealed that several well-known Croats, including soccer coach Miroslav Blazevic had been wiretapped by the secret service.

On 11 December, Pukanic and four journalists from the newspaper, believing they had been illegally wiretapped, brought a complaint before the Minister of the Interior, Ivan Penic. On 25 February, a judge of the Zagreb court summoned Miroslav Separovic and Ivan Jarnjak, two former officials with information services, to question them in the matter. However, on 24 March, the judge decided not to require the two men to testify. According to Pukanic, "it's clear that the judge bent under pressure." On 9 June, Separovic was arrested and charged with disclosure of state secrets. He had resigned from the information services early in 1999, after having, according to certain sources, spoken out about his disagreement with the issue of wiretapping journalists.

For further information, contact Alexandre Lévy or Ludovic Brun at RSF, 5, rue Geoffroy Marie, Paris 75009, France, tel: +33 1 44 83 84 84, fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51, e-mail: europe@rsf.fr, Internet: http://www.rsf.fr

The information contained in this alert update is the sole responsibility of RSF. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit RSF.

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