Wenn der Polizeiminister grüßen lässt

Nach seinen Enthüllungen über Kriegsverbrechen verlor der prominente kroatische Journalist Željko Peratović seinen Arbeitsplatz
Jetzt durchleuchtet er als Blogger dubiose Netzwerke – und erhält Polizeibesuch.

“Wir haben hier eine Anzeige gegen Sie”, sagte der freundliche Polizist an der Haustür. “Sie sollen Ihr Kind unsittlich angefasst haben.” Željko Peratović hat vom Krieg berichtet. Später wurde sein wichtigster Informant, ein guter Freund zudem, in die Luft gesprengt. Aber der schlimmste Horror war der Moment, als er an seiner Haustür in Zagreb dem freundlichen Polizisten ins Auge sah. Denn den Krieg und den Mord an seinem Freund erlebte der heute 42-Jährige noch als Journalist. Als die Polizei bei ihm klingelte, war er nur noch Blogger. Ein Unterschied, der sehr wichtig werden kann.

Željko Peratović ist in Kroatien nicht irgendwer. Er war der Mann, der das Massaker von Gospić publik gemacht hat. Noch als Reporter der Wochenzeitung Globus schrieb er über die Gräueltaten in der beschaulichen kroatischen Kleinstadt, wo 1991, zu Beginn des Krieges, reihenweise Serben aus ihren Häusern geholt und im Wald erschossen wurden. Nicht alle Kroaten mochten zu den Verbrechen schweigen. “Ich bin nicht in den Krieg gezogen, um Omas umzubringen” , sagte sich ein kroatischer Soldat und wurde zum Kronzeugen. Peratović freundete sich mit dem mutigen Aussteiger an. Aber noch bevor der Soldat aussagen konnte, tötete ihn im August 2000 eine Autobombe.
Peratović aber wurde bei Globus entlassen. Seit vier Jahren ist er nun arbeitslos und passt auf die fünfjährige Tochter auf, während seine kranke Frau meistens in der Schweiz weilt. Und bloggt.

Željko Peratović (re.) auf einem Archivfoto mit dem früheren kroatischen Regierungschef Josip Manolić, der im Prozess um die Kriegsverbrechen von Gospić als Zeuge der Anklage aussagte.

Die zentrale Rolle in den langen Geschichten auf Peratovićs Website spielt immer wieder ein Mann: Tomislav Karamarko. Der gehört in Kroatien eigentlich zu den “good guys” . Als der heute 50-Jährige im letzten Herbst nach einer erschütternden Serie von Mafiamorden zum Innen- und damit Polizeiminister berufen wurde, gab es viel liberalen Applaus.

Peratović aber fragte sich, was der hohe Polizist eigentlich getan hatte, als seinerzeit sein Freund in die Luft gesprengt wurde. Er leuchtete in seinem Blog die Geschäfte der Sicherheitsfirma aus, die der Hoffnungsträger zeitweilig betrieben hatte: Wen hatte er da geschützt? Wer waren die Miteigentümer? Noch als Karamarko Geheimdienstchef war, klingelte es bei Peratović schon einmal an der Tür: “Verdacht auf Geheimnisverrat.” Ein Trupp von acht Polizisten durchsuchte die bescheidene Wohnung, griff sich die Laptops, beschlagnahmte die gesamte Dokumentation und nahm Peratović mit zum Verhör. Im Jahr darauf zeigte der Geheimdienstchef den Blogger persönlich an – wegen “Ausstreuens von bekanntermaßen falschen Gerüchten mit dem Ziel, eine größere Zahl Bürger zu beunruhigen” . Als die Anzeige zur Verhandlung kam, war Karamarko schon Minister und führte vor Gericht als “beunruhigte Bürger” seine weitere Verwandtschaft an. Die Justiz vergrub das noch immer offene Verfahren in den Tiefen des Gerichtswesens. Als es jetzt wieder an der Tür klingelte und ein Polizist ihm mit der anonymen Anzeige wegen Kindesmissbrauchs kam, witterte Peratović wieder dessen Dienstherrn dahinter. Auch wenn er das so nicht sagt.

(Norbert Mappes-Niediek aus Zagreb/DER STANDARD, Printausgabe, 6.8.2009)

COMMUNIQUE DE PRESSE

13 mai 2009

Croatie

Les poursuites juridiques ŕ l’encontre de Zeljko Peratovic toujours infondées

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Activists from the Paris-based press freedom group Reporters Without Borders, Robert Menard, left, Vincent Brossel, center, and Jean-Francois Julliard, right

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Reporters sans frontičres dénonce le maintien des poursuites ouvertes le 14 janvier 2008 ŕ l’encontre du journaliste Zeljko Peratovic, ŕ la demande du ministre de l’Intérieur Tomislav Karamarko, qui l’accuse d’avoir contrevenu ŕ l’article 322/1 KZA du code pénal prescrivant une peine de prison d’un an et des amendes « pour toute personne qui diffuserait des informations de nature ŕ inquiéter la population ».

Le ministre de l’Intérieur avait déjŕ été auditionné une premičre fois ŕ l’issue de quoi il s’était avéré incapable d’apporter la preuve que les éléments juridiques du délit étaient réunis. En convoquant le 11 mai 2009 Tomislav Karamarko pour une seconde audition, la juge lui donnait une nouvelle occasion de défendre sa position ŕ l’aide de témoins membres de son entourage proche. En vain.

« Il est désormais plus que temps de clôturer ce dossier qui ne repose sur aucun fondement. Les poursuites établies sur la base de l’article 322/1 sont inconsistantes et irrecevables. La notion ‘’d’information de nature ŕ inquiéter la population’’ constitue une vision obsolčte de la liberté d’expression », a déclaré Reporters sans frontičres.

« Malgré l’opportunité ouverte par cette seconde audition, le ministre n’a manifestement toujours pas les moyens de prouver le bien-fondé de ses accusations. Les liens de Tomislav Karamarko avec les témoins cités résument bien toute la partialité des poursuites engagées. Le public « inquiété par les informations publiées » par Zeljko Peratovic peut-il ętre raisonnablement réduit ŕ cinq personnes, membres de la famille du ministre ou anciens collaborateurs du service des renseignements qu’il dirigeait auparavant? », a ajouté l’organisation.

« Nous demandons aux autorités judiciaires en charge du dossier d’annuler toutes les poursuites ouvertes ŕ l’encontre de Zeljko Peratovic », a conclu Jean-François Julliard, secrétaire général de Reporters sans frontičres.

Sur ses blogs (peratovic.net et peratovic.blog.hr), Zeljko Peratovic a dénoncé l’obstruction pratiquée par Tomislav Karamarko dans l’enquęte sur la mort de Milan Levar, un témoin protégé du Tribunal pénal international pour l’ex-Yougoslavie (TPIY) décédé dans l’explosion de sa voiture, le 28 aoűt 2000 ŕ Gospic.

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PRESS RELEASE

13 may 2009

Croatia

Interior minister fails again to support charges against journalist

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Reporters Without Borders condemns a court decision to continue investigating the charge of “disseminating information likely to upset the population” under article 322/1 of the criminal code that was brought against journalist Zeljko Peratovic in January at the behest at interior minister Tomislav Karamarko. It carries a maximum sentence of a year in prison as well as a possible fine.

Karamarko initiated the case against Peratovic because of allegations he made in two blogs, peratovic.net and peratovic.blog.hr, accusing Karamarko of obstructing the investigation into the death of Milan Levar, a witness under the protection of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), who was killed by a car bomb in Gospic in August 2000.

Karamarko failed to produce any legally sound evidence against Peratovic when he was initially questioned in court. A second hearing was held in the case on 11 May at which the minister was given another chance. He brought several aides and close associates along to testify but he again failed to support the charge.

“It is high time to close this case, which has no foundation,” Reporters Without Borders said. “The charges under article 322/1 are inconsistent and should be dismissed. The very concept of ‘information likely to upset the population’ is based on an obsolete idea of free expression.

“Despite being given another opportunity at this second hearing, the interior minister still clearly lacks the means to support his allegations. His ties to those who were summoned to testify highlight the lack of impartiality in this case. Is the population that is supposedly ‘upset’ by Peratovic’s information limited to these five people, all relatives of the minister or members of the intelligence agency he used to head?”

Reporters Without Borders added: “We urge the judicial authorities in charge of this case to dismiss all the charges against Peratovic.”

PRESS RELEASE

13 may 2009

Croatia

Interior minister fails again to support charges against journalist

_____________________________________________________________________

Reporters Without Borders condemns a court decision to continue investigating the charge of “disseminating information likely to upset the population” under article 322/1 of the criminal code that was brought against journalist Zeljko Peratovic in January at the behest at interior minister Tomislav Karamarko. It carries a maximum sentence of a year in prison as well as a possible fine.

Karamarko initiated the case against Peratovic because of allegations he made in two blogs, peratovic.net and peratovic.blog.hr, accusing Karamarko of obstructing the investigation into the death of Milan Levar, a witness under the protection of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), who was killed by a car bomb in Gospic in August 2000.

Karamarko failed to produce any legally sound evidence against Peratovic when he was initially questioned in court. A second hearing was held in the case on 11 May at which the minister was given another chance. He brought several aides and close associates along to testify but he again failed to support the charge.

“It is high time to close this case, which has no foundation,” Reporters Without Borders said. “The charges under article 322/1 are inconsistent and should be dismissed. The very concept of ‘information likely to upset the population’ is based on an obsolete idea of free expression.

“Despite being given another opportunity at this second hearing, the interior minister still clearly lacks the means to support his allegations. His ties to those who were summoned to testify highlight the lack of impartiality in this case. Is the population that is supposedly ‘upset’ by Peratovic’s information limited to these five people, all relatives of the minister or members of the intelligence agency he used to head?”

Reporters Without Borders added: “We urge the judicial authorities in charge of this case to dismiss all the charges against Peratovic.”

Le journaliste Zeljko Peratovic victime de harcčlement juridique

Reporters sans frontičres dénonce les poursuites ouvertes le 14 janvier 2008 ŕ l’encontre du journaliste Zeljko Peratovic, ŕ la demande du ministre de l’Intérieur Tomislav Karamarko, qui l’accuse d’avoir contrevenu ŕ l’article 322/1 KZA du code pénal prescrivant une peine de prison d’un an et des amendes « pour toute personne qui diffuserait des informations de nature ŕ inquiéter la population ».

Sur son blog (peratovic.net et peratovic.blog.hr), dans des courriers adressés aux autorités juridiques nationales, et dans diverses interventions publiques, Zeljko Peratovic a dénoncé l’obstruction pratiquée par Tomislav Karamarko dans l’enquęte sur la mort de Milan Levar, un témoin protégé du Tribunal pénal international pour l’ex-Yougoslavie (TPIY) décédé dans l’explosion de sa voiture, le 28 aoűt 2000 ŕ Gospic. Une enquęte a été ouverte, dans laquelle Zeljko Peratovic a été entendu comme témoin, puisqu’il figure parmi les derničres personnes ŕ avoir vu Milan Levar en vie. En violation du secret de l’instruction, le procureur a ensuite révélé l’identité de Zeljko Peratovic

« Le ministre Karamarko se dit victime de diffamation, et prétend que je veux inquiéter la population. Il poursuit cependant un autre but. Au-delŕ des amendes, le tribunal peut surtout décider de m’interdire, pour une durée indéterminée, de diffuser de l’information. Il me priverait de fait d’exercer toutes activités journalistiques, sur mon blog ou dans d’autres médias. Ceci m’interdirait aussi de poursuivre mes efforts pour que l’on découvre les commanditaires de l’assassinat de Milan Levar. Certains misent également sur la prescription dans ce dossier. Me réduire au silence constituerait une voie possible pour y parvenir », a déclaré Zaljko Peratovic.

« Il semble que les enquętes menées par la presse sur les crimes de guerre ne soient pas les bienvenues dans le contexte d’adhésion ŕ l’Union européenne. Le ministre de l’Intérieur devrait plutôt s’attacher ŕ la progression des enquętes sur l’assassinat d’un témoin protégé, plutôt que de s’attaquer ŕ ceux qui refusent de voir l’oubli et l’impunité s’installer », a déclaré Reporters sans frontičres.

« Les poursuites établies sur base de l’article 322/1 sont ridicules et irrecevables. La notion « d’information de nature ŕ inquiéter la population » constitue une vision obsolčte de la liberté d’expression, incompatible avec les standards démocratiques européens auxquels la Croatie devra se conformer si elle veut rejoindre l’Union européenne », a ajouté l’organisation.

« Enfin, si les poursuites contre Zeljko Peratovic devaient ętre maintenues, nous insistons pour que les prochaines auditions de chacune des parties ne soit plus effectuées ŕ huis clos. », a conclu Reporters sans frontičres.

En 2008, Zeljko Peratovic a reçu des menaces de mort par la voie de commentaires publiés sur son blog. Le 17 octobre 2007, il avait été arręté ŕ son domicile et placé en détention, pour “divulgation de secret d’Etat“. Le journaliste avait publié sur son blog (peratovic.net et peratovic.blog.hr) des documents relatifs aux crimes de guerre commis dans le village de Gospic (sud-ouest de la Croatie), dans les années 90. Il avait, notamment, évoqué l’existence d’un témoignage vidéo mettant en cause un des vice-présidents du Parlement (M. Darko MILINOVIC, momentane Ministre de la Santé et de la Protection sociale) et le défunt ministre de la Défense, Gojko Susak.. A 42 ans, Zeljko Peratovic, risquait jusqu’ŕ trois ans d’emprisonnement. Si les poursuites contre le journaliste n’ont pas progressé, les charges retenues contre lui n’ont pas non plus été levées. Les archives qui avaient été saisies ŕ cette occasion ne lui ont toujours pas été rendues.

Zeljko Peratovic a travaillé pour différents quotidiens dont le dernier en date est Vjesnik. Ses enquętes sur les crimes de guerre lui ont valu de graves difficultés. Il a perdu son emploi, a été agressé et est considéré comme un traître par une partie de la population, qui refuse l’idée męme que des crimes aient pu ętre commis par des Croates pendant la guerre.

En 2003, il a reçu le prix de la liberté de la presse de la section autrichienne de Reporters sans frontičres.

RSF, Europe et ex-URSS Croatie, Publié le 15 janvier 2009

Le journaliste Zeljko Peratovic victime de harcčlement juridique

Reporters sans frontičres dénonce les poursuites ouvertes le 14 janvier 2008 ŕ l’encontre du journaliste Zeljko Peratovic, ŕ la demande du ministre de l’Intérieur Tomislav Karamarko, qui l’accuse d’avoir contrevenu ŕ l’article 322/1 KZA du code pénal prescrivant une peine de prison d’un an et des amendes « pour toute personne qui diffuserait des informations de nature ŕ inquiéter la population ».

Sur son blog (peratovic.net et peratovic.blog.hr), dans des courriers adressés aux autorités juridiques nationales, et dans diverses interventions publiques, Zeljko Peratovic a dénoncé l’obstruction pratiquée par Tomislav Karamarko dans l’enquęte sur la mort de Milan Levar, un témoin protégé du Tribunal pénal international pour l’ex-Yougoslavie (TPIY) décédé dans l’explosion de sa voiture, le 28 aoűt 2000 ŕ Gospic. Une enquęte a été ouverte, dans laquelle Zeljko Peratovic a été entendu comme témoin, puisqu’il figure parmi les derničres personnes ŕ avoir vu Milan Levar en vie. En violation du secret de l’instruction, le procureur a ensuite révélé l’identité de Zeljko Peratovic

« Le ministre Karamarko se dit victime de diffamation, et prétend que je veux inquiéter la population. Il poursuit cependant un autre but. Au-delŕ des amendes, le tribunal peut surtout décider de m’interdire, pour une durée indéterminée, de diffuser de l’information. Il me priverait de fait d’exercer toutes activités journalistiques, sur mon blog ou dans d’autres médias. Ceci m’interdirait aussi de poursuivre mes efforts pour que l’on découvre les commanditaires de l’assassinat de Milan Levar. Certains misent également sur la prescription dans ce dossier. Me réduire au silence constituerait une voie possible pour y parvenir », a déclaré Zaljko Peratovic.

« Il semble que les enquętes menées par la presse sur les crimes de guerre ne soient pas les bienvenues dans le contexte d’adhésion ŕ l’Union européenne. Le ministre de l’Intérieur devrait plutôt s’attacher ŕ la progression des enquętes sur l’assassinat d’un témoin protégé, plutôt que de s’attaquer ŕ ceux qui refusent de voir l’oubli et l’impunité s’installer », a déclaré Reporters sans frontičres.

« Les poursuites établies sur base de l’article 322/1 sont ridicules et irrecevables. La notion « d’information de nature ŕ inquiéter la population » constitue une vision obsolčte de la liberté d’expression, incompatible avec les standards démocratiques européens auxquels la Croatie devra se conformer si elle veut rejoindre l’Union européenne », a ajouté l’organisation.

« Enfin, si les poursuites contre Zeljko Peratovic devaient ętre maintenues, nous insistons pour que les prochaines auditions de chacune des parties ne soit plus effectuées ŕ huis clos. », a conclu Reporters sans frontičres.

En 2008, Zeljko Peratovic a reçu des menaces de mort par la voie de commentaires publiés sur son blog. Le 17 octobre 2007, il avait été arręté ŕ son domicile et placé en détention, pour “divulgation de secret d’Etat“. Le journaliste avait publié sur son blog (peratovic.net et peratovic.blog.hr) des documents relatifs aux crimes de guerre commis dans le village de Gospic (sud-ouest de la Croatie), dans les années 90. Il avait, notamment, évoqué l’existence d’un témoignage vidéo mettant en cause un des vice-présidents du Parlement (M. Darko MILINOVIC, momentane Ministre de la Santé et de la Protection sociale) et le défunt ministre de la Défense, Gojko Susak.. A 42 ans, Zeljko Peratovic, risquait jusqu’ŕ trois ans d’emprisonnement. Si les poursuites contre le journaliste n’ont pas progressé, les charges retenues contre lui n’ont pas non plus été levées. Les archives qui avaient été saisies ŕ cette occasion ne lui ont toujours pas été rendues.

Zeljko Peratovic a travaillé pour différents quotidiens dont le dernier en date est Vjesnik. Ses enquętes sur les crimes de guerre lui ont valu de graves difficultés. Il a perdu son emploi, a été agressé et est considéré comme un traître par une partie de la population, qui refuse l’idée męme que des crimes aient pu ętre commis par des Croates pendant la guerre.

En 2003, il a reçu le prix de la liberté de la presse de la section autrichienne de Reporters sans frontičres.

RSF, Europe et ex-URSS Croatie, Publié le 15 janvier 2009

Judicial harassment of war crimes reporter continues

Croatia, 15. 01. 2009

Reporters Without Borders condemns the charge that was brought yesterday at the behest at interior minister Tomislav Karamarko against a journalist who writes about war crimes in the 1990s. Zeljko Peratovic is accused of “disseminating information likely to upset the population” under article 322/1 KZA of the criminal code, which carries a maximum sentence of a year in prison as well as a possible fine.

In blog entries (peratovic.net and peratovic.blog.hr), letters to national judicial officials and a series of public statements, Peratovic has accused the interior minister of obstructing the investigation into the death of Milan Levar, a witness under the protection of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), who was killed by a car bomb in the southeastern village of Gospic in August 2000.

Peratovic was questioned as a witness in the course of the investigation because he was one of the last people to see Levar alive. The prosecutor in charge of the investigation subsequently identified Peratovic as a witness, in violation of judicial confidentiality.

“Interior minister Karamarko portrays himself as the victim of defamation and claims that I want to upset the population, but he is pursuing a different objective” Peratovic said. “As well as fining me, the court could above all decide to ban me from disseminating information for an indefinite period. That would prevent be from undertaking any kind of journalistic activity, on my blog or in other media.”

Peratovic added : “It would also prevent me from continuing my effort to discover who was behind Milan Levar’s murder. Some people are counting on the statute of limitations eventually applying to this case. Silencing me could be a way of achieving this.”

Reporters Without Borders said : “It seems that press investigations into war crimes are not welcome at a time when Croatia is trying to join the European Union. The interior minister should be trying to help the investigation into a protected witness’s murder rather than attacking those who refuse to let war crimes be forgotten and go unpunished.”

“The prosecution being brought against Peratovic under article 322/1 is ridiculous and unacceptable,” the press freedom organisation continued. “The crime of ‘information likely to upset the population’ reflects on obsolete view of freedom of expression that is incompatible with the European democratic standards that Croatia will have to conform to if it wants to join the EU.”

Reporters Without Borders added : “If the prosecution of Peratovic goes ahead, we insist that whenever any of the parties are questioned in court, it no longer takes place behind closed doors.”

Zeljko Peratovic, who received death threats in 2008 in the form of comments added to his blog, was arrested at his home on 17 October 2007 on a charge of revealing state secret for posting documents on his blog relating to war crimes in Gospic in the 1990s, and for referring to the existence of a video of witness accusing former defence minister Gojko Susak (now deceased) and a parliamentary deputy president (Darko Milinovic, now croatian minister of th health and new vice president of HDZ, op. 45 lines) of involvement.

Aged 42, he faced a possible three-year prison sentence. In the event, the prosecution was not pursued but the charges have not been withdrawn and the files confiscated by the police have still not been returned to him.

Peratovic has worked for various newspapers, the latest of which is Vjesnik. His investigations into war crimes have earned him a lot of trouble. He has been fired, he has been physically attacked and he is regarded as a traitor by many of his compatriots, who refuse outright to consider the possibility that Croatians may have committed war crimes.

He received the received the press freedom prize of the Reporters Without Borders Austrian section in 2003.

RSF, Publié le 15 janvier 2009

Judicial harassment of war crimes reporter continues

Croatia, 15. 01. 2009

Reporters Without Borders condemns the charge that was brought yesterday at the behest at interior minister Tomislav Karamarko against a journalist who writes about war crimes in the 1990s. Zeljko Peratovic is accused of “disseminating information likely to upset the population” under article 322/1 KZA of the criminal code, which carries a maximum sentence of a year in prison as well as a possible fine.

In blog entries (peratovic.net and peratovic.blog.hr), letters to national judicial officials and a series of public statements, Peratovic has accused the interior minister of obstructing the investigation into the death of Milan Levar, a witness under the protection of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), who was killed by a car bomb in the southeastern village of Gospic in August 2000.

Peratovic was questioned as a witness in the course of the investigation because he was one of the last people to see Levar alive. The prosecutor in charge of the investigation subsequently identified Peratovic as a witness, in violation of judicial confidentiality.

“Interior minister Karamarko portrays himself as the victim of defamation and claims that I want to upset the population, but he is pursuing a different objective” Peratovic said. “As well as fining me, the court could above all decide to ban me from disseminating information for an indefinite period. That would prevent be from undertaking any kind of journalistic activity, on my blog or in other media.”

Peratovic added : “It would also prevent me from continuing my effort to discover who was behind Milan Levar’s murder. Some people are counting on the statute of limitations eventually applying to this case. Silencing me could be a way of achieving this.”

Reporters Without Borders said : “It seems that press investigations into war crimes are not welcome at a time when Croatia is trying to join the European Union. The interior minister should be trying to help the investigation into a protected witness’s murder rather than attacking those who refuse to let war crimes be forgotten and go unpunished.”

“The prosecution being brought against Peratovic under article 322/1 is ridiculous and unacceptable,” the press freedom organisation continued. “The crime of ‘information likely to upset the population’ reflects on obsolete view of freedom of expression that is incompatible with the European democratic standards that Croatia will have to conform to if it wants to join the EU.”

Reporters Without Borders added : “If the prosecution of Peratovic goes ahead, we insist that whenever any of the parties are questioned in court, it no longer takes place behind closed doors.”

Zeljko Peratovic, who received death threats in 2008 in the form of comments added to his blog, was arrested at his home on 17 October 2007 on a charge of revealing state secret for posting documents on his blog relating to war crimes in Gospic in the 1990s, and for referring to the existence of a video of witness accusing former defence minister Gojko Susak (now deceased) and a parliamentary deputy president (Darko Milinovic, now croatian minister of th health and new vice president of HDZ, op. 45 lines) of involvement.

Aged 42, he faced a possible three-year prison sentence. In the event, the prosecution was not pursued but the charges have not been withdrawn and the files confiscated by the police have still not been returned to him.

Peratovic has worked for various newspapers, the latest of which is Vjesnik. His investigations into war crimes have earned him a lot of trouble. He has been fired, he has been physically attacked and he is regarded as a traitor by many of his compatriots, who refuse outright to consider the possibility that Croatians may have committed war crimes.

He received the received the press freedom prize of the Reporters Without Borders Austrian section in 2003.

RSF, Publié le 15 janvier 2009

Prosecution authorities rejected suit; Karamarko files private suit against journalists

Since the County State Attorney’s office in Zagreb rejected Tomislav Karamarko’s suit against Željko Peratović, a journalist and blogger, the Minister decided to deal with it on his own. Therefore, his lawyer Veljko Miljević filed a suit against Peratović for spreading disturbing rumours. 

A couple of days ago, Karamarko was interviewed for Večernji list. When talking about offensive articles appearing on the Internet and whether the police should be at disposal to people who feel hurt or slandered by the contents of that media, Karamarko said that the Internet is legally a gray area.

He also added that there were all sorts of things written about him on the Internet and pointed out that he was dealing with the problem in a way that he filed suits against two bloggers.

One of them is Peratović who received the formal decision of the Municipal Criminal Court in Zagreb yesterday. It said that he would be under investigation for spreading disturbing rumours. Peratović could not say which of his texts (and he published a series of articles on POA and its recent director) are the main cause for the suit since that data was not mentioned in the formal decision about conducting the investigation. 

Karamarko also accused Peratović of revealing a state secret and the State Attorney’s office acted according to the accusation. Peratović was then arrested, his apartment was raided and his computers were seized. Still, there are no legal proceedings against him nor have they given up prosecuting him. They rejected the suit for spreading disturbing rumours since, in their view, a larger number of people did not get upset by Peratović’s blog, without which there is no offence.

 

 

 

Is Bešker being targeted by the Minister?

Tomislav Karamarko, the interior minister, is allegedly suing Jutarnji list columnist Inoslav Bešker. According to Bešker, he received a note which said that the Minister had the intention to sue him because of the article in which he criticized secret services when POA’s chief was Karamarko. The main cause for that was the information that Radovan Karadžić, while still at large, was moving around Dalmatia.  

Bešker objected secret services the fact that instead of catching a fugitive they were dealing with journalists.

Ivanka Toma, Vecernji.hr, 15 December 2008

Karamarko sues journalist Peratović for accusations of protecting his friend’s killers

Tomislav Karamarko, the Croatian Minister of Internal Affairs, filed a suit against two independent Internet journalists- Željko Peratović and Domagoj Margetić. According to Veljko Miljević, Karamarko’s lawyer, the suit was filed for spreading disturbing and false contents. 

Karamarko filed his first suit at the Municipal Criminal Court in June when he was the head of the Security Intelligence Agency. Yet, the General Attorney’s Office considered that at that moment there were no grounds for criminal prosecution. At the beginning of December, his lawyer made an addition to the suit and put everything into motion once again. Miljević explains that he did not want to file a private suit against Peratović (authorities will prosecute him, author’s comment) because it is not only Karamarko whose dignity has been damaged but people close to him as well since he fills the post of minister at the moment.

“Karamarko, protector of this and that”

When asked to name at least two examples explaining why Karamarko decided to insist upon the suit, despite the atmosphere caused by the police prosecution of a Facebooker, Miljević says:

 ”As a man, Karamarko feels most hurt by Peratović claiming that he has covered up Milan Levar’s murderer. He says that his daughter asked him one day what murderers he was protecting», says Miljević. «Secondly, there are all sorts of articles on his blog – ‘Stjepan Mesić, the President of the Republic, this’, ‘State General Attorney Mladen Bajić that’, ‘the head of SOA, Tomislav Karamarko, protector of this and that’», enumerates Miljević.

He also added that it was not only the question of the Internet but he repeated the same on television, radio and printed media. Moreover, he claimed that Karamarko would not insist on the suit if the articles were not on the Internet for a longer period of time. 

For heaven’s sake, who killed Milan Levar?

Milan Levar was Peratović’s friend and the witness to war crimes in Gospić. He was also involved in the investigation regarding “Medački džep ‘93″, about which he was supposed to testify in The Hague. Levar claimed that Croatian secret service agencies had the right data and evidence of crimes. Levar pointed to general Mirko Norac and Tihomir Orešković, the secretary of the Lika Crisis Headquarters, as the chief suspects.  

Domagoj Margetić and Karamarko’s lawyer Veljko Miljević

They were convicted but lead an easy life in prison – every now and then, Orešković’s serve time is suspended, while Norac managed to meet the love of his life, conceive a child and get married at the same time while serving a sentence for the killings of Serbs. Following Levar’s murder in 2000, media reported how Josip Manolić, who coordinated the work of Croatian secret service agencies at the time of those unfortunate events in Gospić, when asked to say who killed Levar, answered:

“Well, those he named war criminals! At least, that is clear!”

Thus, a former secret agent indirectly pointed to this duo. It is important to mention that Karamarko is not the only (now former, author’s comment) head of the intelligence agency that Peratović has been in conflict with since his friend was murdered.

Secret service raided “paranoid” Peratović’s apartment

Murderers have remained unknown until today. For years, Peratović has been unable to find a job in «proper» media because, in journalists’ circles, he is perceived as a paranoiac obsessed by secret services. He was not present in the media until he was arrested for revealing a military secret on the blog. His entire documentation and all computers in the apartment were seized.

The search was requested on the basis of notes from the Security Intelligence Agency (SOA) official letter, the office of the director Tomislav Karamarko from 17 September 2007. The search warrant, as said in the statement of reasons, was issued at the request of the Zagreb Police Department dated 16 October this year, the Ministry of Internal Affairs notes from 7 February, computer excerpts from Peratović’s blog.

Ana Benačić, Index.hr, 15.12.2008