The Hague, Netherlands – Five Croatian journalists have been indicted by the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague, accused of repeatedly ignoring orders by judges, and an arrest warrant has been issued for one of them.
All five have been charged with “knowingly and willfully” publishing the name of a protected witness, and, the indictments add, with publishing excerpts from private testimony by that witness. If convicted, they each could face up to seven years in prison or fines up to $120,000.
Four of the journalists came to The Hague last week and pleaded not guilty to the contempt charges. They are Marijan Krizic, former editor of the Croatian daily Slobodna Dalmacija; Ivica Marijacic of the weekly Hrvatski List; and Stjepan Seselj and Domagoj Margetic, both of the weekly Hrvatsko Slovo.
An order for the arrest of the fifth journalist, Josip Jovic, a former editor in chief of Slobodna Dalmacija, was issued after he did not come to The Hague on Monday for a hearing in his case.
He told Croatian national radio that he would not appear before the judges because the court had no jurisdiction over his actions.
