NO RESPONSE FROM YUGOSLAVIA TO APPEAL FOR ANTUN MASLE

ZAGREB, May 28 (Hina) - Attorneys representing Croatian journalist Antun Masle have submitted an appeal to a decision by Yugoslav authorities to extend his prison sentence in Montenegro, said Kreso Speletic on behalf of the Croatian Journalists' Association's (HND) committee concerned with freeing Masle. Speletic added Yugoslav authorities had not responded to the appeal even though the legal requirement of three days had expired, which indicated that the matter was "becoming worse". At a protest gathering held on Friday by Croatian journalists in front of the Yugoslav Embassy in Zagreb, Speletic stressed this official attitude of Belgrade meant one thing, namely that "other journalists too could easily end up like Masle". Speletic emphasised that a HND delegation had once again been given a negative response by the Yugoslav Embassy to its demands to be received for talks. According to Speletic, the Yugoslav Embassy told the HND delegation to go to the Croatian Foreign Ministry with their demands. The HND's committee to free Masle has already organised a petition which has been signed by over five thousand citizens, while the number of Croat citizens demanding Masle's release is increasing each day. It seems that the Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS), too, is going to start up a similar petition, Speletic said. The HND calls on all papers to publish every day on their front covers the number of days Masle has spent in jail. Antun Masle, a reporter for the "Globus" weekly, was imprisoned in Montenegro more than six weeks ago. He has been accused by Yugoslav authorities of publishing intelligence information regarding NATO air strikes against Yugoslavia. (hina) sp/rml