1988. február (17-31. szám) / HU_BFL_XIV_47_2
ol 2.A/D Little Rossell Street, LOM DON, W-C.i ■ Te/. 01-4&O s.< 2<6 • G. Krossé 26/1988 (E) 17th February, 1988 Protest by Hungárián citizens to the Yugoslav Preaident Karoly Vicéi’s trial, a Senta vriter accused of nationality incitement, vili take piacé the day after tomorrov in Subotica. 14 Hungárián citizens - most of them part- icipants in the Democratic Opposition Movement - sent a letter to the President of the Yugoslav Socialist Union of Republics. They stressed that according to their information the accusations are groundless and ask fór Vicéi’s release. The text of the letter: Dear Mr President, Karoly Vicéi a Voivodina vriter has been detained since November 5th 1987 by the Yugoslav authorities, and is accused of nationality incitement. Vicéi is ill and is held in custody under bad prison conditions. In the trial held on February ll-12th the summoned vitnesses all retracted their statements vhich had been ob- tained under police duress. The date of the név trial has been set fór February 19th by the Subotica court. Karoly Vicéi opposed the Yugoslav authorities earlier vhen in 1975 he tried to organise a Hungárián experimental theatre vith Jenő Gordoa. Accused of spreading hostile propaganda they vere sentenced to tvo years. Vicéi vas seriously beaten by the police during the proceedings. What is Karoly Vicéi’s crime? Nothing more than exercising his right, guaranteed by the Yugoslav constitution, to endeavour to promote and spread Hungárián nation- al culture and so bring together the peoples of multi-national Yugcslavia and our country. We believe that the peoples and national minorities of Yugoslavia do nőt destroy - quite the contrary - bút stengthen the unity of the Yugoslav Confederation by promoting and spreading their ovn cultures. We are convinced that it is in the Yugoslav govemment’s interest to respect minority rights. Consequently ve ask that the groundless proceedings initiated against Vicéi are dropped and that he is released immediately. Budapest, 17th February, 1988. Antal Bogád Miklós Haraszti Róza Hódosán János Kis Gabriella Lengyel Tamás Mikes András Nagy Jenő Nagy Tamas Perlaki Tibor Philipp Ottília Solt Pál Szalai Sándor Szilágyi Miklós Tamás Gáspár The Legal Defense Committee of the Hungárián minority in Czechoslovakia alsó pro- tested against Vicéi’s trial. The letter sent to the Yugoslav Ambassador in Prague vas signed by Miklós Duray. 45
