CRO JOURNALISTS' ASSOCIATION PROTESTS ATTACK ON 'NOVI LIST' REPORTERS

ZAGREB, May 8 (Hina) - The Croatian Journalists' Association (HND) on Saturday issued a statement protesting against Friday's attack on two reporters of the Rijeka-based daily "Novi list", which occurred near Mostar in southern Bosnia-Herzegovina. The HND also sent an open letter to the Interior Ministry of Bosnia- Herzegovina and the Croatian Foreign Ministry. "Violence committed against a reporter is violence against freedom of expression and a threat to the whole profession and the public. Therefore, we demand from the responsible officials at the ministries of the two countries to launch an immediate investigation and provide efficient protection for journalists", said the statement, signed by HND president Jagoda Vukusic. It was noted in the statement that the Mostar incident was not the first case of reporters being beaten up and threatened in the Herzegovina region. The HND will be in contact with its colleagues in Mostar and it will not allow the incident to be covered up, the statement read. The two journalists, Robert Frank and Ronald Brmalj, were yesterday morning abducted from the Mostar "Ero" hotel by unidentified persons wearing civilian clothes. The reporters were taken to a location about 15 km west of Mostar, near Siroki Brijeg, where they were beaten up and ordered to return to Croatia via the border crossing Metkovic. Upon their return to Rijeka at 8.30 p.m., the reporters were examined at the Rijeka Hospital. Robert Frank has suffered a fractured bone in his right hand and will undergo surgery tomorrow. He also has a suffusion on his face and has suffered a severe blow to his chest. Photographer Brmalj suffered light injuries - two blows to his chest and a blow to the right hand. After he was checked up, Brmalj was released from hospital. (hina) rml