Zoran Daskalovic of the Split weekly "Feral Tribune" discusses in the magazine's issue of October 27, 1997, the new changes in the Croatian Criminal law, by which the article on punishment of inciting of national, racial and religious hatred will be stricken.The reasons for striking out the criminal punishment of inciting national, racial and religious hatred is easiest to be seen from the content of the article in the law that has sanctioned these crimes so far.
It was set that the person who incites national, racial or religious hatred through "force, mistreatment, threatening of security, mocking of national, ethnic or religious symbols, damaging of property, desecration of monuments, memorial marks or graves" will be punished with a sentence of up to eight years in prison. Up to ten years in prison will be given to the person who commits this crime through the misuse of his official post, or whether these acts lead to disorder, violence, or other heavy consequences for the joint life of nations and minorities in the Republic of Croatia?
A recent court case is a good cause for thought. In recent days, Dr. Bogdan Denitch, submitted a criminal writ to the regional prosecution office in Dubrovnik against the head of the Dubrovnik - Neretva region Dr. Jure Buric because of a "founded doubt" that with his speech at the meeting of the Regional heads he has incited national, racial and religious hatred.
If the possible trial of Buric would take place before the new law comes into force, and at the same time his guild proven, he would spend at least six months in jail. Since this will not happen until the end of the year, until the current law is still in force, Dr. Denitch will have a hard time getting legal satisfaction.
Euthanasia of the punishment for inciting national, racial and religious hatred was done in silence, so that ?disturbance? of the international public and its institutions would be evaded. The false insistence that Article 240 will be transferred to another chapter of the new law is only a trick for the small number the Parliament who are themselves worried about the quality of the laws they are passing.
Source: Split weekly "Feral Tribune" October 27, 1997
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