JUGOSLAVS ARRESTED

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28767, 12 December 1958, Page 13

JUGOSLAVS ARRESTED

“Sympathisers”

With Soviet

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 9 p.m.) BELGRADE. Dec. 11. Twenty-three Soviet sympathisers, including several prominent former politicians, will go on trial in Jugoslavia on charges of anti-Stat? activities before the end of the month, according to informed sources quoted by the British United Press.

The accused have been in custody since May When they were caught trying to cross the Jugo-slav-Albanian border..

They include Dusan Brkic, former Premier of the Federal Republic ot Croatia, Fernhard Badnjvic, former Jugoslav Minister to Egypt, Misa Vuk-Drago-vic, former Charge d’Affaires in Teheran, and a veteran Communist) Dr, Labud Kusovac. The sources said they would be tried separately, but all on similar charges— of “activity against the State and the people" and of "attempting to bring Jugoslavia into subordination under, and dependence on, a foreign country.”

If found guilty, the accused will face imprisonment with hard labour of five years or more. But it is believed the reported plan to try them separately and not as a group, makes it likely that the sentences will be relatively mild.