Croatian journalist on trial at ICTY for revealing witnesses' names

The Blaskic Witness List was introduced as a "Public" document by the ICTY Prosecutors on July 11, 2006 during the trial of Josip Jovic and became sealed and confidential on August 22, 2006



BBC
November 30, 2006 

Croatian journalist on trial at ICTY for revealing witnesses' names

The Hague, 30 November: Croatian freelance journalist Domagoj Margetic's trial for revealing the names of protected witnesses began before the Hague war crimes tribunal on Thursday [30 November].

The UN court charged Margetic with publishing a list of 102 protected witnesses on his web site between 7 July and 2 August this year. They testified in the trial of Bosnian Croat Tihomir Blaskic. Margetic obtained the list as evidence in another case against him.

In his first appearance before the Hague tribunal on 13 October Margetic pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutor Ann Sutherland said today the defendant had known that the witnesses were protected and that he had deliberately violated the Hague tribunal's orders. She added that the documents Margetic had received as part of the other case were clearly marked as confidential.

Sutherland said Margetic had published the witness list with the announcement "Exclusive - I Was Given Secret List of Hague Tribunal Witnesses by Carla Del Ponte's Assistant". She added Margetic had been at least indifferent about the possible consequences on the witnesses.

The prosecutor said Margetic's accountability could be established on two grounds - direct tampering with witnesses and undermining witnesses' readiness to testify.

Defence counsel Veljko Miljevic said his client had not been aware he was breaking the tribunal's order or had been at least justifiably mistaken that he was doing something acceptable given that the Trial Chamber in the Jovic case on 11 July ruled that the witness list could be published and on 22 August declared the list protected.

If found guilty, Margetic could be imprisoned up to seven years or fined with up to 100,000 euros.

The Hague tribunal first accused Margetic of contempt in 2005, together with another three Croatian journalists, but dropped the charges due to work overload. The indictment accused him of revealing in a newspaper in 2004 that Croatian President Stjepan Mesic had testified in the Blaskic trial. At that time Mesic was a protected witness.

Source: HINA news agency, Zagreb