IHF SECRETARIAT DENOUNCES PROTEST LETTER

ZAGREB, Nov 10 (Hina) - The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF), expressed dissatisfaction with a letter which discredits the Croatian Helsinki Committee (HHO) and its member Ivan Zvonimir Cicak. The controversial letter arrived as members of the Helsinki Federation were meeting to elect the chairperson of the Federation, for which Cicak was a candidate. The letter which made its way to Vienna just before the election, accused Cicak for withholding information concerning alleged persecutions, physical attacks and executions in Croatia, including the killing of Serbs in Gospic. The letter was signed by "Daniel Ivin", although the executive director of the International Helsinki Federation, Aaron Rhodes, announced in a statement that this is a "crude and fraudulent attempt to discredit the Croatian Helsinki Committee (HHO) and Mr Cicak". He added that such a tactic was beneath the dignity of Mr Ivin who denied being the author of the letter. Every person and institution upholding the standards of integrity upon which democracy and human rights depend on, must reject attempts to influence the International Helsinki Federation and the use of such disinformation, concluded the IHF statement. (Hina) ab