ZAGREB, Nov 3 (Hina) - The newly-elected president of the International federation of associations of political prisoners, Jure Knezovic, informed reporters at Wednesday press conference about the conclusions of the 8th congress of
the federation, which was held in Dubrovnik in late October. Knezovic said the congress adopted a resolution requesting all international institutions to condemn individuals who committed crimes and declare Communism a criminal ideology, making it equal to Fascism. The international federation of associations of political prisoners includes 16 countries. It was decided at the Dubrovnik conference that the federation's seat be registered in Berlin. The initial idea was for the seat to be in Zagreb, but it was given up since Croatian laws do not allow the registering of international associations in Croatia. In Germany, the federation will enjoy the support of a foundati
ZAGREB, Nov 3 (Hina) - The newly-elected president of the
International federation of associations of political prisoners,
Jure Knezovic, informed reporters at Wednesday press conference
about the conclusions of the 8th congress of the federation, which
was held in Dubrovnik in late October.
Knezovic said the congress adopted a resolution requesting all
international institutions to condemn individuals who committed
crimes and declare Communism a criminal ideology, making it equal
to Fascism.
The international federation of associations of political
prisoners includes 16 countries. It was decided at the Dubrovnik
conference that the federation's seat be registered in Berlin. The
initial idea was for the seat to be in Zagreb, but it was given up
since Croatian laws do not allow the registering of international
associations in Croatia. In Germany, the federation will enjoy the
support of a foundation for overcoming the consequences of
Communism and accessing international institutions, and it will
also open offices in Geneva and Vienna, Knezovic said.
Political prisoners are concerned about the possible re-
establishment of the communist dictatorship, Knezovic said.
Knezovic added that Belarus prisons are full of fighters for
freedom of thought, whereas people are fleeing in large numbers to
Ukraine and Lithuania. "The international community keeps silent
about this, and Lukashenko is mentioned only in the context of the
revival of the Soviet empire".
Political prisoners cannot be indifferent toward the revival of the
Soviet Union, nor toward the situation in Chechnya, he said.
The international community will remain silent even if this happens
in other countries, Knezovic said, adding this proved that the West
did not have an adequate method for preventing the re-establishment
of the communist dictatorship.
The international federation of associations of political
prisoners has requested international institutions to condemn
individual crimes and Communism as a criminal ideology.
The Croatian Association of Political Prisoners (HDPZ) therefore
advocates the adoption of a lustration law, which, it is said, would
bring clarity to Croatian society. Knezovic said the HDPZ would
join in the competition for winning the trust of political majority
so that Croatia can adopt a lustration law similar to those in
Germany, the Czech Republic, or Poland.
(hina) jn rml