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Croatia: Harassment and defamation against human rights defender Sanja Sarnavka

Posted on 2008/01/25

Front Line is deeply concerned regarding threats, harassment and defamation against human rights defender, Sanja Sarnavka, and women's human rights organisation, Be active, Be emancipated (BaBe). Sanja Saravka is the Coordinator of BaBe, a feminist strategic, advocacy and lobbying women's organisation, established on the 1st of April 1994 for the purpose of affirming and implementing women's human rights.

Further Information

Posted 25/01/2007 A smear campaign has reportedly been undertaken in the Croatian media against Sanja Sarnavka and BaBe since October 2007, instigated by the owner of weekly magazine Nacional, Ivo Pukanić. The campaign came about following a visit by Ivo Pukanić's wife to BaBe to request support in the face of allegations she was making of her husband's violence towards her. Mrs Pukanić reportedly gave BaBe personal letters belonging to Ivo Pukanić which link him to key figures of organised crime in Croatia. Sanja Sarnavka made copies for security reasons; she refused to accept the original letters and has made no use of them since. These letters were also given to the police by Mrs Pukanić. Ivo Pukanić responded by publicly alleging that his wife was mentally ill and by discrediting Sanja Sarnavka and BaBe through a smear campaign.

Sanja Sarnavka recently had several meetings with Anna Maria Getoš, the sister of Gordana Getoš Magdić, who is currently on trial for war crimes against Croatian Serbs in Osijek, to discuss the treatment of Ms Getoš Magdić while in prison. It later transpired that Anna Maria Getoš had a prior agreement with the magazine Nacional to publish the details of these meetings in an interview and that these meetings had all been recorded without Sanya Sarnavka's knowledge.

Front Line believes that Sanja Sarnavka and BaBe have been targeted as a result of their legitimate human rights activities, in particular their work to defend the women victims of human rights violations in Croatia. Front Line fears for the security and physical and psychological integrity of Sanja Sarnavka and all staff members of BaBe, who have been the subject of threats, harassment and defamation since October 2007.

Action Finished: 

This Urgent Appeal has now ended. No further action is requested at this point. Thank you for taking action on this case.

Front Line issues Urgent Appeals on behalf of human rights defenders at risk on a daily basis. These Appeals normally remain active on our web site for a period of up to six weeks, depending on the situation. After this time they will be archived. Front Line maintains a watching brief on all these cases but no further action is requested after the six weeks, unless there is a significant development in the case.