AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL FAILS TO GIVE ASSESSMENT OF STATE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN CROATIA

ZAGREB, May 30 (Hina) - A great number of Serb refugees returned to Croatia last year and Zagreb achieved progress in cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), representatives of Amnesty International Croatia told reporters in Zagreb on Wednesday. At press conferences held at noon across the world, Amnesty International presented its annual report on the sate of human rights in the world. Representatives of Amnesty International Croatia did not want to comment on the state of human rights in Croatia, claiming it did not come within their competence. According to Amnesty International, the number of Serb returnees to Croatia increased. Amnesty International, however, expressed concern about their integration with the society and exercising the right on the return of property. The organisation said the new Croatian authority achieved progress in cooperation with the ICTY, adding the Croatian parliament passed a declaration on cooperation with the Hague tribunal. The Amnesty International annual report referring to Croatia also includes the extradition of Mladen Naletilic and the arrest of five members of the Croatian Armed Forces, suspected of war crimes, in the central Croatian town of Gospic last September. There are no prisoners in Croatia who were detained due to their beliefs, namely religion, race, etc., Amnesty International says. Amnesty International Croatia, established in 1993, includes about 200 members. (hina) it