CRO JOURNALISTS ADVOCATE MASLE'S RELEASE FROM YUGOSLAV PRISON

ZAGREB, June 4 (Hina) - The Croatian Journalists' Society (HND) centre which has been engaged in having Croatian reporter Antun Masle released from Yugoslav prison, has decided not to hold a protest rally in font of the Yugoslav Embassy in Zagreb, HND president Jagoda Vukusic told reporters Friday. The HND will follow the development of events since the Yugoslav leadership has accepted a peace plan for Kosovo, she added. Unless progress is perceived, the HND will organise protests on a larger scale and request of Croatian authorities to become more engaged in Masle's release. Masle was apprehended by Yugoslav military authorities on April 20 as he crossed the Albania-Montenegro border, covering the Kosovo refugee crisis for the Croatian weekly Globus. He has since been held in custody pending a trial for allegedly giving out military secrets. Masle is the only reporter apprehended by Yugoslav authorities who is still detained, Vukusic said. The HND has informed numerous international organisations and associations about Masle's arrest, organised the signing of petitions for his release and sent the 11,000 signatures to the Yugoslav Embassy in Zagreb. Reporters have been gathering in front of the Embassy every Friday since April 23 in support of Masle. (hina) lml