ZAGREB, July 7 (Hina) - Croatian Interior Minister Ivan Penic and Justice Minister Zvonimir Separovic jointly discussed the latest instance of secrets of state published in the July 7, 1999 issue of "Nacional" weekly, a statement from
the justice minister's cabinet said on Wednesday. The headline of the article in question said Croatian President Franjo Tudjman was under risk of being indicted by The Hague war crimes tribunal because Croatia's late defence minister Gojko Susak had prevented the punishment of persons guilty of crimes committed after "Storm", the 1995 military operation which liberated parts of Croatian territory occupied by the Serbian aggressor. Alongside the article, "Nacional" published a copy of notes from the 32nd session of the Council for Cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal, held on October 30, 1998. The statement from Separovic's cab
ZAGREB, July 7 (Hina) - Croatian Interior Minister Ivan Penic and
Justice Minister Zvonimir Separovic jointly discussed the latest
instance of secrets of state published in the July 7, 1999 issue of
"Nacional" weekly, a statement from the justice minister's cabinet
said on Wednesday.
The headline of the article in question said Croatian President
Franjo Tudjman was under risk of being indicted by The Hague war
crimes tribunal because Croatia's late defence minister Gojko
Susak had prevented the punishment of persons guilty of crimes
committed after "Storm", the 1995 military operation which
liberated parts of Croatian territory occupied by the Serbian
aggressor.
Alongside the article, "Nacional" published a copy of notes from
the 32nd session of the Council for Cooperation with the
International Criminal Tribunal, held on October 30, 1998.
The statement from Separovic's cabinet says he and Penic requested
the state attorney to take urgent measures to establish the
existence of elements pertaining to the criminal acts of disclosing
a secret of state, Article 144 of the Penal Code, and publishing
contents of state or military secrets, Article 145 of the Penal
Code.
In case of violation, Article 144 stipulates imprisonment between
one and five years, or between three months and three years in case
of negligence.
The article also stipulates between six months and three years in
prison for the person making a secret of state available to an
unauthorised party. In case of negligence, the punishment is either
a fine or up to one year in prison.
For the same crime committed in wartime, the disclosure of a
military secret, or a secret referring to Croatia's security, the
punishment is imprisonment between one and ten years, or between
one and five years in case of negligence.
Article 145 stipulates a fine or imprisonment up to three years for
a person guilty of disclosing a state or military secret. In case
the crime has been committed during wartime or a time of direct
danger to Croatia's independence and unity, or if it has brought
Croatia's security, economic or military power in danger, the
guilty party will be sentenced to imprisonment up to five years.
(hina) ha jn