Gordan Duhacek: Croatia has Never Fully Resolved Free Speech

"The issue of freedom of speech in Croatia has never really been fully resolved, nor is Croatian society mature enough to lead such discussion," Duhacek told BIRN, noting the different criteria by which people can be prosecuted in the country for written or spoken words.

Satirical song 'offended nation's morals':

Photo: Illustration. EPA-EFE/CLEMENS BILAN.

The "controversial" Twitter message, which discussed police treatment of arrested people and contained the anti-police acronym "ACAB" ("All Coppers are Bastards") was posted in July last year.

Under a Croatian law dating back to the 1970s, which police quoted while explaining the "ACAB" arrest, "whoever discredits or insults public authorities or officials while carrying out, or in connection with carrying out, their duties or their lawful orders, shall be punished by a fine equivalent … to 50 to 200 Deutschmarks or imprisonment for up to 30 days."

Duhacek said he accepted that there are specific situations when police have a right to intervene, but believes his Twitter post is not one of them.

"Let's say I came in front of a police officer, or a group of officers, and started yelling 'ACAB' at them in their faces; then, under some law, in terms of protecting an official, I would be charged with this, and basically I think that's OK," he said.

"But [if] someone is tweeting 'ACAB' - and it [the post] is connected with an incident involving a case of police violence against civilians - not directed at any police officer, and they end up in court for that, that's simply crazy," he continued.

He faces a court judgment on Thursday for another Twitter message posted in August - a satirical rewrite of the lyrics of a patriotic song "Vila Velebita",...