ZAGREB, 21 May (Hina) - Organised by the headquarters of the Croatian Association of Journalists (HND), journalists protested for the liberation of colleague Antun Masle, outside the Yugoslav Embassy in Zagreb. HND representatives
intended to hand over a petition to Ambassador Veljko Knezevic demanding the liberation of Masle which over 4,000 citizens had signed to date. The Ambassador was not in attendance at the Embassy and there was no other staff member willing to receive the protesters, despite the protest being announced in advance. Journalists were then told they would be received by Knezevic's deputy. Antun Masle was arrested by Yugoslav military authorities on April 20 in Montenegro and was taken to the jail in Spuz. Military authorities on Thursday extended Masle's sentence for a further three months. HND president Jagoda Vukusic spoke to the journalists gathered in front of the Yugoslav Embassy an
ZAGREB, 21 May (Hina) - Organised by the headquarters of the
Croatian Association of Journalists (HND), journalists protested
for the liberation of colleague Antun Masle, outside the Yugoslav
Embassy in Zagreb.
HND representatives intended to hand over a petition to Ambassador
Veljko Knezevic demanding the liberation of Masle which over 4,000
citizens had signed to date.
The Ambassador was not in attendance at the Embassy and there was no
other staff member willing to receive the protesters, despite the
protest being announced in advance. Journalists were then told they
would be received by Knezevic's deputy.
Antun Masle was arrested by Yugoslav military authorities on April
20 in Montenegro and was taken to the jail in Spuz. Military
authorities on Thursday extended Masle's sentence for a further
three months.
HND president Jagoda Vukusic spoke to the journalists gathered in
front of the Yugoslav Embassy and announced that next week details
will be made known about planned activities for Masle's liberation
to be taken by HND. She reminded that protests and petitions have
been organised and that the domestic and world public has been
informed accordingly.
The petition for Masle's liberation will continue until he is
freed. There have been proposals that the petition should be taken
to other Croatian cities to be signed there as well.
Globus journalist Igor Alborgheti said that Masle's arrest showed
just how the army should not act. He is concerned with the fact that
Masle's sentence is constantly being extended and that the period
of 1 month was more than adequate for investigation proceedings to
commence. Masle is being accused of espionage. Alborgheti claims
that Masle's case is nothing but political pressure.
Asked by journalists about the extension of Masle's sentence,
attorney Vesna Alaburic stated that this was to be expected
considering that the "military authorities have evidently decided
to instigate a prosecution against Masle yet investigative
proceedings have not been conducted - Montenegrin journalists who
fed Masle the information he based his articles upon and for which
he is being charged with, are yet to be questioned."
Alaburic commented that the proceedings against Masle do not have
much do to with the law because as she said, "journalists cannot be
charged for espionage simply for his writing in any country in the
world".
Keeping in mind the way the investigation is being conducted, it is
evident, Alaburic said that the military prosecution is aware that
it does not have a case against Masle.
Only now have they begun to collect some sort of evidence in the hope
of building some sort of case against him, but as Alaburic said,
they will not be able to succeed in their efforts.
(hina) sp