"We urge you to reconsider a ruling of a judge regarding the case of the Croatian General and member of the Croatian Parliament who has been on hunger strike for 37 days in the prison hospital in Zagreb, and to propose the termination of his detention letting him free pending trial," reads the Appeal signed by 19 academicians and the four Catholic dignitaries on Saturday.
They say that "human life is above and beyond all the laws and courts. If it were not so, the modern judiciary would not have after centuries of bloody executions renounced death sentence today," the document reads.
We hold that a man who is proving that his dignity is more valuable for him than his life deserves to get the recognition for his dignity. Recognising the dignity of a man against whom charges are yet to be proved, both the court and the state preserve their own dignity, although they do not discontinue the proceedings by such an act," the academicians and bishops wrote.
They signatories recall that hunger-striking Branimir Glavas has entered a dramatic stage. It is a matter of days when his condition may collapse, and this would raise the responsibility for the death that could be avoided by making it possible for Glavas to be released pending trial, the document reads.
In this context the signatories recall that the other suspect in this case (Krunoslav Fehir) who has admitted to crimes is allowed to defend himself in freedom, while Glavas "who dismissed his own responsibility for the same crimes, has been taken into custody, although neither investigative proceedings have been completed nor indictment has been issued".
The signatories also recall that some other citizens supporting Glavas also have gone on hunger strike and that their lives and health should also be take into consideration.
"Although we consider hunger strike as a legitimate right of everybody, we appeal to you not to let that Branimir Glavas be the first to be sentenced to death despite the fact that the Republic of Croatia has abolished death penalty, as that death would be on the conscience of the entire Croatia," the 19 academicians and the four bishops say.
The signatories are academicians: Ivan Aralica, Smiljko Asperger, Stjepan Babic, Zvonimir Baletic, Slaven Barisic, Rafo Bogisic, Dragan Dekaris, Dubravko Jelcic, Mislav Jezic, Ivica Kostovic, Slavko Matic, Slobodan Novak, Ivo Padovan, Josip Pecaric, Stanko Popovic, Zdenko Skrabalo, Josip Tisljar, Nenad Trinajstic and Alica Wertheimer-Baletic, and Gospic Bishop Mile Bogovic, Zagreb Auxiliary Bishop Valentin Pozaic, Dubrovnik Bishop. Zelimir Puljic and Djakovo Bishop Marin Srakić.
Glavas was taken into custody more than a month ago on suspicion that he committed war crimes against civilians in the eastern city of Osijek in late 1991.