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Journalist suing Croatia for violation of human rights

The trial of a Croatian journalist who is suing the State of Croatia for alleged infringement of his human rights, acts of slander, damage to his reputation and intimidation, commenced on 12 April in Zagreb. Željko Peratović, a former journalist for the state-owned daily Vjesnik, claims he was subject to years of illegal surveillance by Croatia’s counter-intelligence agency POA, violating his right to privacy, freedom of speech and the right to work. He alleges he
was then unfairly slandered by the former head of POA, Franjo Turek, in 2003. Mr. Peratović is claiming 800,000 HKN (€100, 800) in compensation.

In a controversial presentation shown to the President in 2003, the head of the POA, Turek,
accused Mr. Peratović and five other journalists of endangering Croatia’s national security by
collaborating with foreign secret services and diplomats. These accusations were later published in the national daily Vecernji List and the political weekly Nacional. Mr. Peratović claims that his dismissal from Vjesnik in 2005 was mainly a result of the allegations against him. He has subsequently been unable to find employment.

Following the March 2005 findings of the Parliamentary Council for the Control of Secret Services, which determined that there were grounds to suspect that the POA had violated the constitutionally guaranteed human rights of the six journalists in question, Mr. Peratović decided to file a law suit. His initial offer of an out-of-court settlement was refused by the State. Lawyers representing the State argue that Croatia is not liable for damages suffered by
the plaintiff.

OSCE Mission to Croatia, News in brief, page 3 of 4, 8 May 2006