26. 07. 2012

Journalist sentenced to five months in prison for insulting the LEADER of extremist movement "64 ŽUPANIJE

Subotica, July 26, 2012. (Politika) - On Friday, July 20, journalist Laslo Sas (69) came to the District Prison in Subotica to serve his prison sentence for 150 days. By the verdict of the Municipal Court in Subotica, Sas has been found guilty of criminal act of libel after he insulted Laslo Torockaj, the leader of "64 Zupanije" movement, in his text in "Magyar Szo". The court ordered him to pay a fine of 150,000 dinars. As this fine has not been paid within eight months, on 24 April, the Basic Court made a decision to alter the fine to imprisonment for a period of 150 days.

Laslo Sas was sentenced under Article 170, paragraph 2 of the Serbian Criminal Code which provides that penalty in the amount of 150,000 to 450,000 dinar was imposed for the offense in the media. Such severe punishment made prison sentence only possible solution for this part-time journalist.