ZAGREB LAWYER AWARDED BY US BAR ASSOCIATION

( Editorial: --> 6718 ) ZAGREB/CHICAGO, 9 July (Hina)- Zagreb lawyer Vesna Alaburic is the recipient of this year's American Bar Association (ABA) annual human rights award, the Croatian Journalists' Association said Thursday. Alaburic was awarded for her exceptional contribution to the protection of human rights and the rule of law, said an ABA letter the Zagreb lawyer received yesterday. The letter also mentions cases where Alaburic defended independent media and journalists. The US association expressed concern over the human rights situation and the rule of law in Croatia, especially over the government attacks on independent media. Although the Croatian Constitution guarantees freedom of thought and expression, including freedom of press and other media, in practice these freedoms are being restricted by the state ownership over television and radio stations and state control over the printing and distribution of papers, the letter says. The Croatian law on penalising the spreading of false information is the first of the kind in eastern Europe and as such represents a dangerous precedence for other countries in the region. ABA also expressed hope that Alaburic's award would contribute to the promotion of rule of law and human rights. Alaburic will receive the award on August 4 at a ceremony in Toronto, Canada, together with a US senator George Mitchell, who won the same award for his contribution to the peace agreement for northern Ireland. (hina) jn rml 092157 MET jul 98