"FERAL TRIBUNE" JOURNALISTS ACQUITTED OF LIBEL CHARGES

ZAGREB, Sept 26 (Hina) - The editor-in-chief and a reporter of the Split-based satirical and investigative weekly "Feral Tribune", Viktor Ivancic and Marinko Culic, were acquitted by the Zagreb Municipal Court on Thursday of charges of libeling and insulting Croatian President Franjo Tudjman. Explaining his verdict, Judge Marin Mrcela said that the incriminating articles were not libelous, but contained value judgments which could not be the subject of prosecution. The proceedings had been instituted by the office of the municipal state attorney with Tudjman's consent. Ivancic was charged with libeling the President in a text on the cover of Feral's supplement "Glede i Unatoc" of 29 April 1996 and insulting him through a trick photograph which showed Tudjman and Ante Pavelic (Ustasha leader and founder of the Independent State of Croatia, 1941-1945) in the same issue. Culic was charged with libeling the President in an article entitled "Bones in a Mixer", published in the same issue. The "Glede i unatoc" article stated that Tudjman was "a declared follower of generalissimus Franco," Mrcela said, adding that a statement that someone was a follower of a certain political idea was a value judgment which could not be the subject of libel. Explaining the trick photograph, Mrcela said it was "absurd", especially if one bore in mind Tudjman's anti-fascist commitment in World War Two. "But that absurdity is not insulting", Mrcela said, offering as an example the play "Spikom na spiku" in which Tudjman had been shown just as absurdly talking with Josip Broz Tito. Speaking of Culic's article, Mrcela said it did not contain factual claims, but value judgments on political activity, and such judgments could not be the subject of prosecution. In the article Culic commented on the President's idea of erecting a joint memorial centre in Jasenovac to all Croatian victims of fascism, communism and Serbian aggression. The parties can appeal to the Zagreb County Court. The announcement of the verdict was followed by about 100 spectators. (hina) ha jn 261337 MET sep 96