HASH(0x8962ed8) **Updates IFEX alerts of 22 December, 21 December, 24 November, 30 September and 19 May 1998, 19 December, 21 October and 6 May 1997, 10 October, 26 September, 19 September, 14 June, 12 June and 8 May 1996** (ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is a ARTICLE 19 press release further to increased state harassment […]
HASH(0x8962ed8)
**Updates IFEX alerts of 22 December, 21 December, 24 November, 30 September
and 19 May 1998, 19 December, 21 October and 6 May 1997, 10 October, 26
September, 19 September, 14 June, 12 June and 8 May 1996**
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is a ARTICLE 19 press release further to
increased state harassment of Croatian satirical weekly “Feral Tribune”:
STATE SQUEEZES CROATIAN SATIRISTS
ARTICLE 19 today condemned the Croatian authorities for withholding over
$200,000 owed to Feral Tribune, the beleaguered Croatian weekly magazine,
causing the popular publication serious financial difficulties.
Tisak, the state-controlled company which owes the money, has a monopoly on
print news distribution in Croatia, forcing independent media outlets to use
it. It has failed to pay Feral Tribune for issues sold over the last three
months, claiming that the company account has been blocked.
Andrew Puddephatt, Executive Director of ARTICLE 19 said:
“ARTICLE 19 finds it unacceptable that a state-controlled company should
withhold money owed, thereby bringing a newspaper to the brink of financial
collapse. This seems to be a direct example of state intervention to stifle
freedom of expression and reduce media diversity.”
Feral Tribune has been under constant attack from the authorities, who have
sought to exercise a ‘chilling’ effect by both threatening and actually
bringing defamation suits which generate huge fines. Most recently, December
saw the conclusion of a long-running and farcical case wherein President
Tudjman claimed he had been defamed by being likened to General Franco. Two
Feral Tribune staff were acquitted of the charges, with the court finding
that they had been making value judgements rather than presenting facts
which could damage the President’s honour and dignity.
However, over the last two months, Feral Tribune has had to pay out over
$80,000 in fines to compensate politicians for “mental anguish”.
Andrew Puddephatt commented on the ongoing harassment of the independent
weekly:
“By constantly resorting to court action to protect them from press scrutiny
and possible public disapproval, Croatian officials are severely undermining
the democratic process. ARTICLE 19 calls upon President Tudjman and his
authorities to uphold the international standards which dictate that public
officials should tolerate a greater degree of criticism than private
individuals.
