Jovic was arrested in his apartment in Split during an interview with Croatian Television.
"I see it as a form of harsh pressure on the judiciary and harsh encroachment on my personal rights and freedom, and what I fear the most at this moment is that I will simply be transferred to The Hague regardless of the Constitutional Law on Cooperation with the ICTY. Based on what is happening to me I can only conclude that we do not live in a democratic but in a Stalinist state with laws of the inquisition and persecution of unsuitable journalists," Jovic told Croatian Television.
Spokesman for the Hague tribunal Jim Landale has said he has been notified of Jovic's arrest, but declined to comment on the apprehension in detail.
The head of the Croatian Government's Office for Cooperation with the Hague Tribunal also declined to comment on Jovic's arrest, saying it was a court matter.
Earlier in the day Split County Court investigating judge Neven Cambi ordered that the former editor of the Split-based Slobodna Dalmacija daily be arrested based on an order from the Hague war crimes tribunal.
On 9 September the Hague tribunal charged Jovic with contempt of court for making public the identity and testimony of a protected witness in the trial of former Bosnian Croat military commander Tihomir Blaskic.
The tribunal issued a warrant for Jovic's arrest after he failed to appear in The Hague to enter a plea on contempt charges. The Split County Court received the arrest warrant on Wednesday.
Jovic's attorneys Kresimir Krsnik and Vinko Ljubicic said they were surprised with the arrest of their client, adding that the decision on Jovic's detention was made under political pressure.
Ljubicic stressed that his client was being treated as a war criminal although he was charged with contempt of court.
A hearing on the ICTY's request that Jovic be transferred to The Hague is scheduled for 11 October.