1988. március (32-68. szám) / HU_BFL_XIV_47_2
í ^CIíWMSARIANl9&TQ3ER2? ÍMfÚJÍ^^n S(M. Editor: György Krassó * 24/D Little Russell Street ‘ London, WC1A 2HN » Tel. 01-430 2126 (from abroad 441-430 2126) 67/1988 (E) 27th March, 1988 Hungárián Citizens Protest Against Police Brutality in Bratislava As is well-known,on Friday evening - March 25th - police violently dispersed a peaceful protest demanding assurance of religous freedom and the appointment of Román Catholic bishops to bishoprics which have been vacant fór a long time in Bratislava. In front of the Bratislava National Theatre about 2000 Slovakian and Hungárián national minority believers gathered and were attacked by the police with water cannons and truncheons, many people - among them foreign joumalists - were arrested. The brutality of the police provoked uproar throughout the world including Hungary. On March 27th Hungárián citizens sent a message to participants in the Charter 77 civil rights movement in Prague and Bratislava condemning the police action. Within a few hours forty-two people had signed the message, among them famous vriters, research scientists, manual workers and priests of different denominations. The message sent to Czechoslovakia is as follows: Dear Friendsl We heard about how the police attacked and brutally handled participants in a peaceful march on March 25th with despair and indignation. The Bratislava Catholics demand that the state ensures the autonomy of t.heir church and ceases illegally restricting religous freedom. Believers and non-believers both demand the restoration of spiritual freedom. The police action, the ill- treatment and árrést of participants in the demonstration and of joumalists who observed the events contravenes the basic principles of the Helsinki Accord, the political and civil rights international agreement and the principle of openjlss which is propagated in Czechoslovakia. The signatories are in solidarity with all those who struggle fór spiritual freedom and freedom of speech. With them we demand the restoration of fundamental freedom rights. We demand that the proceedings against the protest participants cease and that police behaviour will be reviewed. Budapest, 27th March, 1988. 4-2 signatures Subscribers can use or quote the Hungárián October newsletters in totál or in detail as long as the source is acknowledged.
