CRO JUSTICE MINISTRY ISSUES STATEMENT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF AMNESTY

AMNESTY $ LAW ZAGREB, Oct 31 (Hina) - Because of great public interest and increasing questions as regards the application of the General Amnesty Law which took effect on 5 October 1996, the Croatian Justice Ministry on Thursday issued a statement saying that 96 prisoners and detainees had been released under the Law. The General Amnesty Law is also being applied to all other persons against whom criminal proceedings have been initiated for acts of armed rebellion and aggression against Croatia committed between the beginning of the war on 17 August 1990 and the signing of the Agreement on Normalization of Relations between Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia on 23 August 1996. The Amnesty Law does not apply to persons indicted for rape, murder and arson committed during the war against Croatia. The Justice Ministry stressed that it was monitoring the application of the Law and would soon inform the public about its implementation. (hina) lm jn 312001 MET oct 96