TRIAL OF REBELS

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28154, 18 December 1956, Page 15

TRIAL OF REBELS

Britons Plan Legal Aid (Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, December 17. Distinguished British lawyers, including three former Attorneys-General, hope to co to Budapest to attend the trials of leaders of the Hungarian revolution. Sir Lionel Heald, Sir Hartley Shawcross and Sir Frank Soskice, all Queen’s Counsel and members of Parliament, have applied for visas at the Hungarian Legation in London. The leader of the Liberal Party in the House of Commons (Mr Joseph Grimond), a barrister, also wishes to attend the trials. A statement issued in London said that those on trial will include Sandor Racz and Sandor Bali, leading members of the Central Workers’ Council who were arrested on Tuesday when visiting the Prime Minister (Mr Janos Kadar). Co-operating for the first time in their history, the three political societies of English lawyers, the Inns of Court Conservative Association, the Society of Labour Lawyers, and the Association of Liberal Lawyers, proposes by every legitimate means within their power to assist the defence of those charged with political crimes in Hungary, the statement adds. Execution ac Warning Military tribunals are operating in many Hungarian towns and cities following the widespread arrests under the martial law provisions, according to British United Press reports from Vienna. The first announced execution under martial law—imposed throughout Hungary last week—took place , yesterday. The British United Press says that the speedy execution—the condemned man was shot within two hours of being found guilty, according to the Budapest Radio was apparently meant as a warning to other Hungarian rebels who have failed to hand in the thousands of weapons still concealed in contravention of the martial law decrees.