The conviction and sentencing of six Hungarian Zionist leaders and one non-Jew on charges of promoting illegal emigration of Israel-bound Hungarian Jews this week-end has shocked Hungarian Jews, it was reported by refugees arriving here today. The refugees stated that Hungarian Jewry received the sentences with bitterness and skepticism about the justice of the trials.
Jewish sources here assert that Dr. Bela Denes, one of the chief defendants who admitted partial guilt in having given leadership to Hungarian Zionist youth, has taken no active part in the leadership of the Hungarian Zionist movement for the past half year because of illness. He was scheduled to leave Hungary with a valid passport, these same sources asserted. They insisted that Dr. Denes took no part in the organization of mass emigration from Hungary, describing the migratory movement as “unorganized and absolutely spontaneous.” These sources stated that the defendants were assigned the same defense counsel as Cardinal Mindszenty, over their objections.
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