Truth Will Prevail

Croatian journalist pleads not guilty to contempt at Yugoslav war crimes tribunal

October 13, 2006

Associated Press: A Croatian journalist pleaded not guilty Friday to contempt of court for allegedly publishing the names of witnesses whose identities were withheld from the media and public when they testified at the Yugoslav war crimes tribunal.

Domagoj Margetic faces a maximum sentence of seven years imprisonment and a fine of euro100,000 ($125,400) if convicted. Tribunal judge Alphons Orie did not immediately set a trial date.

The U.N. court formally known as the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, or ICTY, alleges that Margetic published the names of witnesses on his Web site in July and August, despite being warned that the names were confidential.

The list of some 120 witnesses, many of whose identities were supposed to be protected, was given to Margetic by tribunal prosecutors as part of a previous contempt case against him that was dropped earlier this year.

Earlier this year, the tribunal convicted another Croatian journalist, Josip Jovic, for contempt and fined him euro20,000 (US$25,080) for publishing the name and testimony of a protected witness.

Media advocacy group Reporters Without Borders has criticized the court's decision to prosecute journalists.

"It is the duty of the media to expose the functioning of the courts ... to public debate, especially when their functioning at the very least raises questions," the group wrote in an analysis of the Jovic ruling.

But the tribunal insists it must be able to shield witnesses who may otherwise refuse to testify for fear of reprisals.

By publishing the names of witnesses who testified several years ago in the tribunal's trial of Bosnian Croat Gen. Tihomir Blaskic, Margetic "undermines confidence in the tribunal's ability to grant effective protective measures" to witnesses, his indictment said.

Margetic told Orie he was suffering health problems "with my heart and other organs" after staging a 33-day hunger strike earlier this year when he was detained by Croatian authorities on orders from the tribunal.

But he added, "I wish to thank the ICTY staff for their assistance in helping me enter the premises of the tribunal as I do have difficulty walking."