CRO HELSINKI COMMITTEE ACCUSES HRT FOR NOT REPORTING FULL DETAILS

ZAGREB, July 22 (Hina) - The Media Council within the Croatian Helsinki Committee (HHO) believes that Croatian RadioTelevision (HRT) seriously neglected its professional postulates and legal obligations as a public television when it announced incomplete information about the criminal charges against war crimes suspect, the president of the Serb Democratic Forum (SDF), Veljko Dzakula, as well as when it later rejected to broadcast a correction of that information. #L# In a statement issued by the Council, it reminds that in its programme "War Crimes - Bucje Camp" televised on July 15, amongst else HRT reported that the Croatian Association of War Invalids of the Homeland War (HVIDR-a) and the Pakrac Town Council filed charges against Dzakula due to suspicion that he committed war crimes. In the press release, the Council claims that the author of that telecast, Darko Dovranic did not report on an explanation issued by the State Public Prosecution nor from Dzakula and so the public was spared a detail that an earlier process instigated against Dzakula was discontinued in 1996. The programme also omitted to announce that as a member of the Pakrac Town Council between 1997 and 2001, Dzakula was given recognition that he was a very active member of the council in that period to reconstruct inter-ethnic relations in that region, the press release adds. HHO notes that when the said programme was compiled it omitted a section of a statement made by a prisoner in the Bucje camp where he spoke in favour of Dzakula. Seeing that HTV did not release a correction or supplement to its programme even though it was requested to do so by Dzakula, he turned to the HHO for help believing that by not reporting the entire truth, HTV incorrectly portrayed his role in the Homeland Defence War. (hina) sp ms