1988. augusztus (184-207. szám) / HU_BFL_XIV_47_2
^ «HUKeARMJ*(CyOCTO&6R*> « IK'l'í’irK^rvVoM slffmi Editor: György Krassó * 24/D Little Russell Street * London, WC1A 2HN * Tel. 01-430 2126 (írom abroad 441-430 2126) 197/1988 (E) 23rd August, 1988 Libel Suit Against Népszabadság This moming, August 23rd, the libel suit instituted against the paper Népszabadság ("Peoples Freedom") by Péter Bokros, Dr. Gyula Erdei, Ferenc Kőszeg and Tamás Molnár came before the Budapest City Court. The four plaintiffs went on hunger strike ön July 19th-27th in a priváté Budapest fiat in protest against the police’s despotic with- drawal of Hungárián citizens’ right to travel. During the hunger strike Népszabadság published an interview vith Police Colonel Dr Ernő Hegyi, head of department at the Ministry of Justice. According to the plaintiffs it published untrue statements in its July 26th article and distorted the truth. They requested press corrections from the paper and when this was refused by the editor they took the paper to court. According to the palintiffs the statement that Dr Gyula Erdei had asked fór asylum on his trip abroad and had only retumed home when this was refused was untrue. As was that which said that they had started a hunger strike instead of waiting fór a regly to the appeal they had submitted in their passport case. Tn the interview Dr Ernő Hegyi declared that they knew exactly why they had nőt received passports and how they had infringed the laws of the Hungárián Peoples Republic; the plaintiffs claim that this is alsó false. The case was tried by Dr Madarász, she is secretary to the City Court*s Hungárián Socialist Workers Party organisation, and the request fór press corrections was refused. According to the verbal decisión the Népszabadság accurately interpreted the police officer’s words and it was nőt obliged to examine their factual content. The plaintiffs did nőt accept this decision and appealed against it. At the same time they are instituting separate civil proceedings against Dr Emo Hegyi: they ask the court to clear their names. Yesterday aftemoon Dr Jenő László the director of the Ministry of Justice’s legislation department told Dr Gyula Erdei, Jenő Fonay and Ferenc Kőszeg that the new passport law will be enacted in a pariiámentary session before 1990 bút he could nőt give a more exact date. The elimination of travel restrictions fór those sentenced in 1956 is soon to be enacted. They want to limit police powers in many ways: fór example their right to imprison petty offenders will be stopped. The director said that legislation which allows the courts to review administrative decisions is nearly complete, namely those whose passport application was refused by the police can take the case to court. Bút those who went on hunger strike in July want something more: the right to travel can only be withdrawn by the courts and that the police only deal with registration. Subscribers can use or quote the Hungárián October newsletters in totál or in detail as long as the source is acknowledged.
