MOVE TO ARREST DEPUTIES

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25444, 16 March 1948, Page 5

MOVE TO ARREST DEPUTIES

DEMAND BY CZECH MINISTRY

(Rec. 7 p.m.) PRAGUE, March 14. The Ministry oi the Interior has demanded that Parliamentary immunity be stripped from the secretary-general of the National Socialist Party (Dr. Vladimir Krajina) and two National Socialist deputies, Mr Otto Hora and Mr Alois Cizek. Tile Ministry accuses them of organising an “espionage centre” for operations against the security police and nationalised industrThe Ministry also has issued a warrant for the arrest of a Government official, Mr Vaclav Knotex. who, the Ministry alleges, directed the spying ° P The tl Czech Minister of Justice (Dr. Cepicka) predicted in a speech to-day a drastic reform of the legal system, including a purge, of the Courts, a renewal of trials of collaborators and “offenders against the national honour” and the establishment of people’s courts bt justice. He said: “Defending lawyers will no longer defend and hide criminals fron? the law, but will defend .only and justice. The elections m May will confirm and approve the February events Statements that Mr Gottwald s Cabinet has instituted a dictatorship are slanders.”