1987. április (33-52. szám) / HU_BFL_XIV_47_2
(Mi 24/D tittlt Ru»fcdl Street, LONDON, WC.i ■ Ttl. 04-^0 n 26 • 0. Krasaé 59/1987 /E/ 7th April, 1987 High fine imposed on members of the INCOMU group The Council of District XIII of .Budapest - authorized to proceed cases of infringement of regulations - imposed fines of 5>000 forints each on merahers of the independent artist group INCONNU, while Tibor Philipp, a resident of Budapest was fined 8,000 forints, The INCOMU group announced last summer its international graphic árts competition "The Fighting City" commemorating the 1958 revolution, in Hungárián samizdat joumals and Western newspapers. Part of the competition works sent from abroad was nőt delivered to the addressees in Hungary, while other artworks were seized by the police during a house search. The INCOMU group intended to display the remaining artworks - among them works of 11 foreign artists - on an exhibition, which was to be opened on 28 January this year in the fiat of Tibor Philipp in Budapest; the Hungárián political police, however, raided the fiat a few hours before the opening of the exhibition, removed the pictures already hanged on the walls and confiscated all the artworks to be exhibited, The INCOMU group wanted to sell these by auction on the spot to the benefit of the Hungárián poor. After somé steps taken in the procedure - police questioning and a hearing concerning infringement - a decision was declared by the Council of District XIII of Budapest having jurisdiction on petty offences.The 30 years old Péter Bokros and the 23 years old Róbert Pálinkás - members of INC0NNU - were sentenced fór fines of 5»000 - 5>000 forints, while Tibor Philipp had a fine of 8,000 forints imposed on him. According to the reasons given, they committed the infringement of art regulations and unauthorized raising of money, bút Tibor Philipp - who alsó had samizdat publications found in his fiat - was found guilty in violating press regulations in addition to this. In the case of failing to pay the fine, the sentences will be changed to detention fór 25-25 days, and - in the case of Tibor Philipp - fór 40 days. It must be pointed out that according to the decree of the govemment (,No. 17/1968/IV.14) currently in effect, it is nőt the planning bút the fulfil- ment of unauthorized exhibition of artworks, and that of unauthorized raising of money, whichare to be punished; in this case, however, all this was thwarted by the preventive police action. Consequently this punitive sanction with an obviously political end in view, is unlawful fór the sole reason of this. The decision of the municipal authority alsó contains the confiscation of all the artworks seized on the occasion of the police raid. The members of the INCOMU group announced to the municipal authority that they regard the procedure as unlawful, demand the retum of the artworks confiscated and the abolishment of the restrictions of artistic freedom by the police. They alsó stated that they won't pay the fine, bút rather choose detention. They were told, however, that they have no opportunity to choose; the sum of the fine - if there is a way - will be withheld from their salaries. The members of the group appealed against the decision. IV __________________________________________
