1988. január (1-16. szám) / HU_BFL_XIV_47_2
ÍN 4*Cl]*!KKft6&|Alf @ «i 24/D Líttle Rv-sscl! Street, LONDONI, W.C.i -TeUH-WO U ie ■ &. Firassi 13/1988 (E) 26th January, 1988 László Rusai is Pronounced Mentallv 111 Article no.5 by the Rusai Committee On January 25th the Rusai Committee (Vilmos Bereczki, Vilmos Fitos, György Konrád, Gabriella Lengyel, Tibor Philipp, Ottilia Solt) published its fifth article about the Hatvan inhabitant László Rusai, vho has been held fór nearly three months in prison and then in a closed psychiatric ward. Here is a summary of the article. The investigative agencies - begins the article - "instituted uritten reports in the last fev days which were launched with the intention of documenting the proper legality of the case bút actually shed light on its unlavfulness, indeed they are Jransgressing the lav themselves." A letter from the Chief Attomey General’s Office dated January 6th informed one of the members of the committee that the committee’s petition had been sent to the Heves County Attomey General’s Office. On January 13th the Heves County Prosecutor informed another member of the committee in úriting that earlier proceedings had been initiated against Rusai fór subversive activity and that these proceedings had once more been instituted against him fór the same reason, bút on the basis of expert medical opinion the criminal proceedings had been dropped because he was in a pathologieal mentái state and therefore exempt. According to the Chief Prosecutor "nothing unlawfu} or negligent occurred during the proceedings which uould necessitate prosecution". On January 20th 1988 the Heves County daily Népú.i ság ("Peoples Paper") published an article which stated that Rusai had actually committed the crimes of which he was accused and that he was mentally ill. The ELrticle was broadcast several times on Hungárián Rádió news programmes. Finally on January 19th the Heves County Police made the decision to drop the proceedings against Rusai. This decision, in the words of the Rusai Committee’s article no.5, "came as a surprise". It emerged that Rusai was nőt only charged with the above crime - writing hostile texts - bút with violating authority as well, this new crime had been committed against the Heves County Police when he had sent a complaint in writing to the Budapest Military Attomey General’s Office. The decision alsó revealed the hostile captions thought to be Rusai’s: "Russians Go Hornéi", "Freedomí" and "Fascist Police". The decision to drop the investigation declared Rusai mentally ill. "He suffers from delusions and a split personality. He was mentally ill when he committed the crimes: he is nőt capable of recognising the consequences of his actions and of acting accordingly." The Rusai Committee’s article no.5 thoroughly analyses the contents of the above letters, decisions and reports. It describes the steps taken by the Heves County daily Népú.i ság and Hungárián Rádió as an infringement of civil rights as "Actions are imputed to Rusai publicly, actions which have nőt been proved". As no judge- ment was reached it is only permissable to speak of well founded suspicion. "The fact that the whole world is told that Rusai is mentally ill - including his full name and address - is alsó an infringement of civil rights ..........It is possible that the police bodies which issued the article were nőt conversant with the law
