HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICIAL: NO EXPLICIT BAN OF RACIST PROPAGANDA IN CRO.

ZAGREB, Oct 6 (Hina) - Croatia is "the only state in Europe without an explicit ban of racist propaganda," the chairman of the Croatian Helsinki Committee on Human Rights, Zeljko Puhovski, said at a forum of Croatian non-governmental organisations in Zagreb on Saturday. The forum tackled a platform for the presentation of Croatian NGOs at an international conference on human rights and democratisation the United Nations are to hold in the southern seaport of Dubrovnik on Oct. 8-10. Racist propaganda is banned under Article 39 of the Croatian Constitution but, according to the participants in the forum, this is not directly applicable in criminal procedure. In Dubrovnik, the Croatian NGOs will therefore request an immediate change of the Penal Law by urging the introduction of a provision banning any instigation to war or the use of force, national, racist, or religious hatred, and any form of intolerance. They will also request changes in legislation on the activity of competent bodies to ensure NGOs the right to gain insight into all information pertaining to violations of human rights in the domestic judicial and administrative system. The Dubrovnik conference will be chaired by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Mary Robinson, and attended by government rapporteurs and human rights NGOs from more than 50 countries. (hina) ha