1988. május (109-137. szám) / HU_BFL_XIV_47_2

©HÉM

Editor: György Krassó * 24/D Little Russell Street * London, WC1A 2HN * Tel. 01-430 2126 (írom abroad 441-430 2126)

127/1988 (E) 18th May, 1988

City Goűrt Tries YDA* s Libel Suit

In the City Court’s Marko Street building the 23 14-0/88 libel suit was tried by Mrs. Vladimír Madarasz the presiding judge today* The piaintiff was the Young Democrats Alliance and five of its members, the defendant was the Hungárián Press Agency (MTI) and the paper Magyar Hírlap ("Hungárián News"). The YDA initiated the suit because the two defendants did nőt accept their request fór press corrections to be made. The Hungárián Press Agency stated on April 8th that the five plaintiffs had established an illegal organisation. A commentary in Magyar Hírlap had mis- quoted the founding declaration of the YDA and had printed falsehoods. Only thirty people were allowed to enter the court, less than half of those who were inter- ested in the proceedings. After a short hearing the court dismissed their libel suit, it did nőt even accept that the YDA was a legal body entitled to sue, and justified its decision by stating that the Hungárián News Agency was nőt directly responsible as it had published its statement under orders from the police and that the Magyar Hírlap commentary was a so-called opinion and therefore did nőt infringe personal rights. The YDA’s legal representative submitted an appeal to the Supreme Court as they béléivé the grounds fór dismissal were unjustified and that they infringe the law.

During the trial's recess young democrats distributed booklets containing the history and documents of their organisation to those present.

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