‘Izvestia’ accuses Tom Stoppard

Press, 28 August 1980, Page 6

‘Izvestia’ accuses Tom Stoppard

NZPA-Reuter Moscow The Soviet newspaper, “Izvestia,” has accused the renowned British playwright, Tom: Stoppard, of collecting “slanderous ’< information” about riuman rights 'in the Soviet Union. . The chargewas levelled in a half-page attack on the London-based human-rights organisation, Amnesty International, which the ’ newspaper said had links with American ari'd British intelligence arid neo-fascist groups. ■The attack was the second in two days from “Izvestia.” Earlier it accused Amnesty of waging a long campaign against the Moscow Olympics and claiming that common criminals in Soviet jails were prisoners of conscience.' ' '7'

The newspaper said that Stoppard, whose recent play, “Every Good Boy Deserves Favour,” concerned the abuse of psychiatry for political ends in Eastern Europe was sent to the Soviet Union by Amnesty’s .London branch. : '■ v “He was told to meet trie renegades V. Turchin, (Tatiana) Velikanova and others so as to receive from them and take to the West slanderous information for Amnesty’s use in whipping up anti-Soviet. campaigns,” it said. Miss. Velikanova was an active member of the Moscow, “Helsinki” human-rights group until her arrest on November 1. She has not been tried "yet. “Izvestia” said that the name Turchin was a disguise: ,