AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION CONCERNED ABOUT POSSIBLE LEGAL ACTION AGAINST CICAK

AGAINST CICAK ( Editorial: --> 1179 ) ZAGREB, Nov 16 (Hina) - The American Bar Association (ABA) has expressed concern about a possibility of launching a criminal investigation of Ivan Zvonimir Cicak after he allegedly disseminated false information, on the basis of Article 191 of the Croatian Criminal Code which the ABA views as not being in conformity with international norms on human rights. According to a letter which the ABA forwarded to Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on 4 November and a copy of which the Croatian Helsinki Committee (HHO) sent to Hina on Saturday evening. the ABA said that it was told that Mr. Cicak gave an interview to the 'Feral Tribune' weekly in which he spoke of "a 1991 meeting between Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic" and Franjo Tudjman held in Karadjordjevo. "As a result of his (Cicak's) interview", the Public Prosecutor of Croatia announced the launching of an investigation of Cicak because of his "false claims", according to the Article 191 of the Croatian Criminal Code. The ABA connected this event with that "Mr. Cicak has personally borne the brunt of government displeasure with the (HHO) committee's work," being the head of the Croatian Helsinki Committee (HHO). "We would be extremely troubled if the Croatian government interpreted Article 191 in a manner inconsistent with the full protection of free expression," the American Bar Association wrote in the letter. The ABA held that as regards its international obligations the Croatian government should amend Article 191 in order to be in conformity with international human rights law, adding that Article 191 "should not be applied to future charges and investigations until such an amendment occurs. (hina) 161223 MET nov 97