Municipal Court Acquits Former Secret Service Leaders Of Espionage Charges
- 27 Sep 2017 9:00 AM
The Budapest Municipal Court has acquitted former secret service leaders of espionage charges in a binding ruling. On July 5, 2013, György Szilvásy, the minister in charge of the secret services under the Socialist government of Ferenc Gyurcsány, and Lajos Galambos, former director of the National Security Office, were sentenced in a non-binding ruling to two years and ten months each in prison for espionage.
Sándor Laborc, also a former director of the National Security Office, received a one-year prison term suspended for two years for espionage and complicity.
The fourth defendant known only as László P. was the owner of a security firm with Russian ties. He was charged with crimes against the state.
In June, 2015, these sentences were quashed due to procedural errors found by the court and a repeat procedure was ordered.
Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.
MTI photo: Kovács Tamás
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