(IPI/IFEX) – IPI is strongly condemning the indictment of journalist Orlanda Obad, from the daily “Jutarni List”, along with four bank employees. IPI has been informed that a Zagreb public prosecutor indicted Obad and four Zagrebacka Banka employees on 7 May 1999 for revealing and publishing details of President Franjo Tudjman’s wife’s bank accounts. According […]
(IPI/IFEX) – IPI is strongly condemning the indictment of journalist Orlanda
Obad, from the daily “Jutarni List”, along with four bank employees.
IPI has been informed that a Zagreb public prosecutor indicted Obad and four
Zagrebacka Banka employees on 7 May 1999 for revealing and publishing
details of President Franjo Tudjman’s wife’s bank accounts. According to
IPI’s sources, two of the bank employees had revealed to “Jutarni List” that
Ankica Tudjman had deposited nearly 500,000 German Marks (approx.
US$275,628) in various accounts, which President Tudjman had reportedly
failed to declare in a formal statement of his family’s assets.
In order for a democracy to function effectively there must be a general
acceptance that in all laws and decisions concerning the rights to
information and privacy, the public interest in knowing the information
shall be the primary consideration. In the view of IPI, there is certainly
an overriding public interest in finding out about President Tudjman’s
wife’s lodgements, considering she is the wife of the Head of State and that
the information conflicts with the declaration of family assets, over her
right to privacy concerning her financial transactions.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the president:
internationally accepted standards of journalism
such as the European Convention on Human Rights, to which Croatia is a
signatory
immediately and that journalists are allowed to report freely and without
harassment in his country
Appeals To
President Franjo Tudjman
President of Croatia
Zagreb, Croatia
Fax: +385 1 456 5208
E-mail: www-admin@president.hr
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
