ZAGREB, September 18, 2019 – Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said in parliament on Wednesday he had asked the ministers of the interior and justice to examine all the circumstances in the arrest of journalist Gordan Duhaček.
I said yesterday already that all authorities must treat with special care and attention any representative of the media or journalist, he said during question time after Krešo Beljak of the opposition Croatian Peasant Party asked what he intended to do to punish judges’ “evident omissions”.
Beljak singled out a Zagreb judge who allegedly threatened Duhaček and a Split judge who sent an 18-year-old to prison, after which the youth died.
“Every possible analysis is under way in that tragic case as to what, if and who might have failed,” Plenković said, regretting on the government’s behalf the death of Kristian Vukasović, who was mentally ill.
Beljak said it was terrifying that a sick child could end up in prison and die of fright, adding that everything must be done to examine and punish those who he said had disgraced the justice system.
Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said in parliament on Wednesday he did not have the impression that there was no freedom of the press in Croatia, adding that one should be particularly considerate and attentive towards freedom of the press, journalists and their role in society.
“I can’t have the impression that there is no freedom of the press here, that some owner, editor, journalist, analyst or commentator can’t write what they think of any of us or of any phenomenon in society,” he said during question time after Željko Jovanović of the opposition Social Democratic Party called out the government for corruption, conflict of interest and intimidation of journalists.
“I haven’t heard that anyone, under my term, hasn’t been allowed to write or say something,” Plenković said, dismissing insinuations that someone in government circles was preventing freedoms of speech and press.
“The media may be free, but journalists aren’t,” Jovanovic said. “You have Đurđica Klancir and Gordan Duhaček as proof that there is pressure on journalists.”
More news about human rights in Croatia can be found in the Politics section.
