ZAGREB, April 22 (Hina) - Antun Masle, a journalist of the Zagreb-based weekly Globus, who was arrested in Montenegro on Tuesday by the military police, is to be taken to the military tribunal in Podgorica, said an official of the
Montenegrin Information Secretariat on Thursday. During the telephone conversation with representatives of the war press centre of the Yugoslav army in Podgorica I was told that Masle would appear before the military tribunal, the source told Hina speaking under the condition of anonymity. Asked what fate Masle could face, the source said the military court in the Montenegrin capital had so far released all reporters apprehended by the army in Montenegro. The same source added that according to information available to him, Masle was at the military prison in Podgorica, but the Yugoslav army did not tell him why the military police had arrested Masle nor d
ZAGREB, April 22 (Hina) - Antun Masle, a journalist of the Zagreb-
based weekly Globus, who was arrested in Montenegro on Tuesday by
the military police, is to be taken to the military tribunal in
Podgorica, said an official of the Montenegrin Information
Secretariat on Thursday.
During the telephone conversation with representatives of the war
press centre of the Yugoslav army in Podgorica I was told that Masle
would appear before the military tribunal, the source told Hina
speaking under the condition of anonymity.
Asked what fate Masle could face, the source said the military court
in the Montenegrin capital had so far released all reporters
apprehended by the army in Montenegro.
The same source added that according to information available to
him, Masle was at the military prison in Podgorica, but the Yugoslav
army did not tell him why the military police had arrested Masle nor
did they allow him to contact the Croatian reporter.
Prior to this, Masle was in Albania to report about the Kosovo
crisis, but he was robbed there. He is believed to have passed into
Montenegro without documents.
They told me to contact the Yugoslav army war headquarters in
Belgrade for further information about the arrested journalist and
about coming in touch with him, the Montenegrin official added.
Antun Masle, aged 42, who was correspondent for Globus from
Albania, on Tuesday entered Montenegro from the Albanian town of
Skadar. He passed via the border crossing of Bojaz and after that he
was apprehended by the military police.
According to the experience of reporters who have been arrested
since the start of the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia
(Serbia/Montenegro), their treatment in the military prison has
been fair, the source said.
The first moment of the arrest is certainly unpleasant but they are
later treated correctly, the Montenegrin official explained.
The Yugoslav army in Montenegro has already caught several
correspondents reporting about the Kosovo crisis. Besides Masle, a
French cameraman and his interpreter were also arrested near the
border with Albania on Tuesday.
Tensions have heightened between the Yugoslav army and civilian
authorities in Montenegro who decided to remain neutral during the
conflict between Serbia and NATO due to the Kosovo crisis.
(hina) jn ms