The Croatian Journalists’ Association (CJA) strongly condemns the judicial repression directed at citizens who expressed their opinions on social media—including, at the time, journalist Ivan Žada—and were subsequently sued for defamation by HDZ Member of Parliament and HVIDRA President Josip Đakić. On Sunday around 9:30 p.m., acting on an order from the Municipal Court in Virovitica, Zagreb police entered Žada’s apartment and took him to the police station in Oranice, only to transport him early Monday morning in a police van, in handcuffs, to a court hearing in Virovitica. The Zagreb Police Department yesterday denied Žada’s claim that he was taken in handcuffs and without explanation, which Žada immediately described as a shameful police statement.
Žada claims he had previously responded to court summonses and apologized when unable to attend. This time, however, he says he never received a summons and only learned from neighbors that the police had already come looking for him at his Zagreb address—presumably to deliver the notice. He is being sued over a Facebook post that ended with the words: “You won’t get away with this, bandit,” which Đakić perceived as defamatory and damaging to his honor and reputation.
A far worse fate befell teacher Benarda Jug, who was also sued for defamation by Đakić. She spent 11 days in investigative detention in Bjelovar for allegedly missing court hearings—without any legal basis. The County Court in Bjelovar later overturned the ruling of the Municipal Court in Virovitica, which had issued the arrest warrant at the request of Đakić’s attorney. Only after the scandal became public was an emergency release order issued.
The Croatian Journalists’ Association warns that these two interconnected cases raise serious concerns about potential collusion between the court and local political power structures, and calls on the relevant judicial authorities to thoroughly investigate the conduct of judges at the Virovitica Municipal Court.
On behalf of the CJA Executive Board:
Hrvoje Zovko, President
Chiara Bilić, Vice President
Dragutin Hedl, Vice President