YUGOSLAV MILITARY COURT REDUCES PRISON SENTENCES OF THE ACCUSED OF ESPIONAGE

OF ESPIONAGE ( Editorial: --> 9716 ) NIS, Nov 10 (Hina) - A military court in the Serbian town of Nis on Monday substantially reduced prison sentences of four Yugoslav citizens convicted of "spying for and divulging military secrets to Croatia". Ankica Brckovic, who had received five years in prison at an August 20 trial, was sentenced a three-year prison term after a retrial last week. She had been held 13 months in investigative detention before the first trial. Brckovic, born in Karlovac, Croatia, worked as a typist in the JNA garrison in Nis. She was accused of "taking out documents marked as 'confidential' and 'strictly confidential'" and "divulging secrets concerning the Nis garrison, the airport at Nis and the movement of armoured vehicles". Retired Yugoslav Army Captain Marjan Cop, born in Lipovaca, Croatia, was sentenced to one and a half years in prison. His term was reduced to one year at the retrial. Charged with espionage, he spent about nine months in pre-trial detention. Major Josip Baric, born in Hrvatski Cuntic, Croatia, was sentenced to five months' imprisonment for "divulging military secrets". After three months in investigative detention he received a one- year prison term at the first trial. Private haulier Zeljko Medic of Belgrade, born in Uzice, Serbia, was sentenced to one year and three months in prison, and had spent six months in pre-trial detention. At the first trial he was sentenced to two and half years in prison after being charged with espionage. All the accused will remain at large until the finality of the court ruling, and they can again submit appeals to the Supreme Military Court in Belgrade. (hina) vm jn 102238 MET nov 97