(26 May 1999) English/Nat
A court in Belgrade barred international observers at the espionage trial of two Australian aid workers and a Yugoslav colleague on Wednesday.
Australian ambassador to Yugoslavia, Charles Lamb, expressed his disappointment at not being allowed to be present at the trial.
He said the court had turned down applications to observe the trial submitted by relatives and representatives from CARE and the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights.
Authorities ruled that the case should be closed to the public due to the sensitive intelligence information which might be discussed in relation to the espionage charges.
The trial of CARE workers Steve Pratt and Peter Wallace and Yugoslav Branko Jelen began on Wednesday at the 5th District Court in Belgrade, a civilian court.
The two men have been held since they were detained on Yugoslavia's border with Croatia on March 31.
They were arrested when they tried to cross the border into Croatia to drive south to help Kosovar refugees in Montenegro.
Border guards apparently became suspicious of their lap top computers, files, and mobile telephones.
Australia insists that the charges against Pratt and Wallace had no basis and said diplomatic initiatives to secure their release would continue.
CARE Australia, part of the CARE International federation, says the men were working in the region trying to help ethnic Albanians fleeing Kosovo.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I don't believe Steve Pratt and Peter Wallace have anything at all to fear from an open, just trial. CARE Australia, CARE International have nothing to fear from an open, just trial and therefore the idea that its going to be a secret trial, without journalists present, without our observers present is obviously something a lot of concern."
SUPERCAPTION: Malcolm Fraser, Former Australian Prime Minister
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Well, the charges against the defendant in this case, Mr. Steve Pratt, is that he has organised and run an intelligence network for the foreign organisation and the charges for the other two defendants, Peter Wallace and one of the Yugoslav community aid workers, is that they have been helping this organisation. (what's the maximum penalty?) Maximum penalty is at least ten years, which means up to 15 years."
SUPER CAPTION: Djordje Djurisic, lawyer for two Australians on trial for espionage
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The reason for the exclusion of the public, according to the court, is that the case, the file itself contains some sensitive information which is regarded as classified. And in case that trial would be declared open, which would mean that everyone could attend, this classified information would so to say become declassified, become publicly known, which they feel would jeopardise the general security, especially as you know, at this time there is a state of war declared in the country and the local circumstances, they say would affect the national security."
SUPER CAPTION: Djordje Djurisic, lawyer for two Australians on trial for espionage
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I would say that they appear to be in good spirits and in good physical condition, that is my impression. I would say that's a general impression. I would not say there are any signs of any difficulties mental or physical."
SUPER CAPTION: Djordje Djurisic, lawyer for two Australians on trial for espionage
SOUNDBITE: (English)
SUPER CAPTION: Charles Lamb, Australian ambassador to Yugoslavia
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