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'''Hedviga Malinová''' is a ] student of ] ethnicity from ], Slovakia, who was allegedly physically assaulted in a ] incident. Her case represents a highly controversial and debated issue of ]-Slovak relations. | ||
==Claim of violence== | ==Claim of violence== | ||
Hedviga Malinová claims she was severely beaten and robbed on 25 August 2006 in ]. Her attackers were supposed to write the following slogans found on her clothes: "SK<ref>SK is Slovakia's ISO country code</ref> without parasites! ({{lang-sk|SK bez parazitov}})" and "Hungarians to the other side of the ]! (''Maďari za Dunai'' <sup></sup>)." Ján Packa, the head of Slovak Police, set up a team of investigators and started the investigation immediately.<ref name="Spectator"></ref> At first, nearly all Slovak political parties dissociated themselves from the case, with the notable exception of the Slovak National Party, led by ], infamous for his anti-Hungarian statements.{{vague}} | |||
==Police decision== | ==Police decision== | ||
About two weeks after the incident, the police closed the case with the conclusion that Malinová's statements were made up and the attack never happened. As announced by ], the Slovak deputy prime minister and minister of the interior, none of the alleged victim's claims proved to be accurate. Her mobile network operator, for instance, did not record any call on that day. Malinová also claimed she was robbed, and her identity papers were later sent to her address. According to Kaliňák, DNA analysis proved that the envelope was posted by Malinová. She was treated for internal bleeding, but the police authorities ascertained they had been caused before the day of the claimed attack. Graphology specialists claimed that the offensive writings on her clothes might have been written by her.<ref name="Spectator"/> Kaliňák also stated that contrary to immediate examinations, she did not have concussion or bruises, and the blood most probably came from her ]; Malinová claims she has nosebleeds when under stress. | |||
In a July |
In a July 2007 interview with the Slovak weekly magazine, .tyzden, Malinová claimed that Fico and the Minister of the Interior first believed what the police said, but later only repeated their statements because of outside pressure.<ref></ref> She said she felt relaxed after finishing her fourth year at the University with an excellent result. | ||
==Controversy over the investigation== | ==Controversy over the investigation== | ||
], then leader of the ] (SMK-MKP) questioned the results of the investigation, calling attention to the fact that medical examination initiated by the police did not take place until 10 days after the case, allowing time for bruises to disappear. |
], then leader of the ] (SMK-MKP), questioned the results of the investigation, calling attention to the fact that medical examination initiated by the police did not take place until 10 days after the case, allowing time for bruises to disappear.<ref>http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/szlo0912/</ref> | ||
Malinová first appeared before the public on 13 September 2006, maintaining her initial claims. She said she was ready for polygraph test, and that she and her lawyer, Gábor Gál were considering reporting the case to public prosecutors because the victim had been interrogated for 6 hours during which officers tried to persuade her to withdraw her claims. | |||
Ján Packa said the attitude of |
Ján Packa said the attitude of Malinová and her lawyer was "the despising of the work of Slovak police," while Kaliňák pointed out that Gál was trying to set up a political issue. | ||
Hungarian politician Viktor Polgár pointed out that the incident was not an isolated case<ref>http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/szlo0914/</ref> |
Hungarian politician Viktor Polgár pointed out that the incident was not an isolated case.<ref>http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/szlo0914/</ref> ''(see ])'' | ||
The following day, Gábor Gál stood down |
The following day, Gábor Gál stood down because of pressure on him and the whole SMK-MKP for being involved in the case<ref>http://www.mkp.sk/eng/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=26&Itemid=33 Timetable Of Hedviga Malinová’s Case, published by SMK</ref>, and gave over the case to a Slovak attorney, Roman Kvasnica. Kvasnica laid a complaint with the Nitra prosecution, which was refused on ] ]. In the meantime, state-owned Slovak television channel STV broadcasted a documentary directed by Eugen Korda, which claimed Kaliňák did not always tell the truth in connection with the case. The director was rapidly dismissed from the television channel.<ref>http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/botr62372/</ref> | ||
==Perjury claims against |
==Perjury claims against Malinová== | ||
In November a certain Jaroslav Kubla reported |
In November a certain Jaroslav Kubla reported Malinová to the authorities, accusing her with perjury. <ref>http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/malhed1110/</ref> Later Kubla committed suicide by hanging himself leaving behind a suicide note which was not published by the police. <ref></ref> | ||
Meanwhile |
Meanwhile Malinová got into the centre of several conspiracy theories, which relate the case to the Slovak authorities or nationalists. <ref>http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/ossszel1115/</ref> <ref>http://www.slovakradio.sk/inetportal/rsi/core.php?page=showSprava&id=3716&lang=2</ref> | ||
Pravda daily and Radio Slovakia International comments the cause following: "The victim has become the guilty party, and the question now is whether or not she will be prosecuted herself. She's been a pawn in a political game from the very beginning." ... "Thanks to the overtime put in by Bela Bugar and his ethnic-Hungarian SMK party, Malinova appears to be the victim of 'Slovak extremism', and not of a 'Hungarian game.' At this stage, we can only forgive Hedviga, but not forget those who were standing behind her the whole time."<ref>http://www.slovakradio.sk/inetportal/rsi/core.php?page=showSprava&id=3716&lang=2 Slovak radio comment</ref> | Pravda daily and Radio Slovakia International comments the cause following: "The victim has become the guilty party, and the question now is whether or not she will be prosecuted herself. She's been a pawn in a political game from the very beginning." ... "Thanks to the overtime put in by Bela Bugar and his ethnic-Hungarian SMK party, Malinova appears to be the victim of 'Slovak extremism', and not of a 'Hungarian game.' At this stage, we can only forgive Hedviga, but not forget those who were standing behind her the whole time."<ref>http://www.slovakradio.sk/inetportal/rsi/core.php?page=showSprava&id=3716&lang=2 Slovak radio comment</ref> | ||
At the end of November the police initiated criminal prosecution against |
At the end of November 2007 the police initiated criminal prosecution against Malinová, who, in turn, brought the case to the Constitutional Court. | ||
==Allegations of injustice== | ==Allegations of injustice== | ||
After a relatively calm period the case was taken up again in May 2007, when Jaroslav Kubla, who had reported |
After a relatively calm period the case was taken up again in May 2007, when Jaroslav Kubla, who had reported Malinová to the authorities accusing her with perjury, committed suicide.<ref>http://www.origo.hu/nagyvilag/20070525bucsulevelet.html</ref> Hungarian political party ] called Malinová's case a ], pointing to many controversial facts. As Zsolt Német reminded, the media was informed about the act of accusing before the lawyer of the victim, and the accusation had been announced before it actually took place. Robert Fico called the above "the coarse intervention of Budapest into Slovak home matters". <ref>http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/mhedvig0517/</ref> | ||
On 26 May it was revealed that, besides the deceased Jaroslav Kubla, there was another person who reported |
On 26 May it was revealed that, besides the deceased Jaroslav Kubla, there was another person who reported Malinová to the authorities. This reporter was later identified as Peter Korček, former secret agent and presently a member of the ], a Slovak political party.<ref>http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/malina0529h/</ref> | ||
In June the case took another turn, when |
In June 2007, the case took another turn, when a new witness turned up. Zdeno Kamenický from Nitra claimed he knew one of the attackers, named Robert Benci<ref>http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/malinahedvig/</ref> from Nitra. Kamenický was officially never interrogated by the police, who claimed Benci had "bullet proof alibi."<ref>http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/mahed070621/</ref> This alibi later turned out to be two ] statements from his mother and uncle, who said that Robert at the time was either at home sleeping or at a holiday place with his friends.<ref>http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/hedvig1022/</ref> | ||
Also in June, the Hungarian Prime Minister, ] said that nobody has the right to doubt the independence of justice in another country.<ref> {{sk icon}}</ref> | |||
⚫ | |||
⚫ | In July 2007, Ján Packa admitted that "Malinová might have been beaten." He now said: "We never claimed she was not beaten. We claimed it did not happen the way she states." It was also revealed that medical certificates made right after the incident but disregarded by the police did prove Malinová's recounting. Dušan Čaplovič, the deputy prime minister, also accepted that: "She may have been beaten, but not because she was Hungarian." <ref>http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/malin724h/</ref> | ||
⚫ | |||
⚫ | Examinations following the above statements showed that Malinová's handwritten testimony was not copied accurately in typing, notably, an important sentence had been left out, which made Chief Prosecutor's Office start an investigation to find out if it was necessary to take up the case again. As a result of the investigation, Chief Public Prosecutor Dobroslav Trnka admitted that: "Both the police and prosecution made mistakes," without stating them. | ||
Meanwhile a former high-ranking police commissioner reported ], ] and ] to the authorities, claiming they ] in connection with Malina's case. | |||
In September 2007, Chief Prosecutor Dobroslav Trnka decided to replace police investigators working on the case of Malinová's alleged perjury<ref></ref> |
In September 2007, Chief Prosecutor Dobroslav Trnka decided to replace police investigators working on the case of Malinová's alleged perjury.<ref></ref> | ||
⚫ | In October 2007, ], a Hungarian-born Democratic member of the ], blamed the Slovak government for creating the climate for anti-Hungarian sentiments.<ref></ref> | ||
According to latest news Chief ] Dobroslav Trnka decided to replace police investigators working on the case of Malina's alleged perjury.<ref></ref>, and start the investigation again. | |||
⚫ | In December 2007, the Slovak police gave the video recording of the initial hearing of Malinová to Roman Kvasnica, her latest lawyer. The hearing lasted for six hours, but the police recorded only five hours of it and released only three hours initially.<ref>http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/mh5553/</ref> Despite the police's early claims, two cameras were used instead of one for the recording.<ref>http://www.hirszerzo.hu/cikk.kiszivargott_kepsorok_mi_tortent_malina_hedvig_kihallgatasan.51649.html</ref> Malinová is still accused of misleading the authority for which she may be sentenced to five years in prison. | ||
⚫ | In October |
||
⚫ | In December 2007 |
||
==References== | ==References== |
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Hedviga Malinová is a Slovak student of Hungarian ethnicity from Horné Mýto, Slovakia, who was allegedly physically assaulted in a hate crime incident. Her case represents a highly controversial and debated issue of Hungarian-Slovak relations.
Claim of violence
Hedviga Malinová claims she was severely beaten and robbed on 25 August 2006 in Nitra. Her attackers were supposed to write the following slogans found on her clothes: "SK without parasites! (Template:Lang-sk)" and "Hungarians to the other side of the Danube! (Maďari za Dunai )." Ján Packa, the head of Slovak Police, set up a team of investigators and started the investigation immediately. At first, nearly all Slovak political parties dissociated themselves from the case, with the notable exception of the Slovak National Party, led by Ján Slota, infamous for his anti-Hungarian statements.
Police decision
About two weeks after the incident, the police closed the case with the conclusion that Malinová's statements were made up and the attack never happened. As announced by Robert Kaliňák, the Slovak deputy prime minister and minister of the interior, none of the alleged victim's claims proved to be accurate. Her mobile network operator, for instance, did not record any call on that day. Malinová also claimed she was robbed, and her identity papers were later sent to her address. According to Kaliňák, DNA analysis proved that the envelope was posted by Malinová. She was treated for internal bleeding, but the police authorities ascertained they had been caused before the day of the claimed attack. Graphology specialists claimed that the offensive writings on her clothes might have been written by her. Kaliňák also stated that contrary to immediate examinations, she did not have concussion or bruises, and the blood most probably came from her epistaxis; Malinová claims she has nosebleeds when under stress.
In a July 2007 interview with the Slovak weekly magazine, .tyzden, Malinová claimed that Fico and the Minister of the Interior first believed what the police said, but later only repeated their statements because of outside pressure. She said she felt relaxed after finishing her fourth year at the University with an excellent result.
Controversy over the investigation
Béla Bugár, then leader of the Party of the Hungarian Coalition (SMK-MKP), questioned the results of the investigation, calling attention to the fact that medical examination initiated by the police did not take place until 10 days after the case, allowing time for bruises to disappear.
Malinová first appeared before the public on 13 September 2006, maintaining her initial claims. She said she was ready for polygraph test, and that she and her lawyer, Gábor Gál were considering reporting the case to public prosecutors because the victim had been interrogated for 6 hours during which officers tried to persuade her to withdraw her claims.
Ján Packa said the attitude of Malinová and her lawyer was "the despising of the work of Slovak police," while Kaliňák pointed out that Gál was trying to set up a political issue.
Hungarian politician Viktor Polgár pointed out that the incident was not an isolated case. (see 2006 Slovak-Hungarian diplomatic affairs)
The following day, Gábor Gál stood down because of pressure on him and the whole SMK-MKP for being involved in the case, and gave over the case to a Slovak attorney, Roman Kvasnica. Kvasnica laid a complaint with the Nitra prosecution, which was refused on October 18 2006. In the meantime, state-owned Slovak television channel STV broadcasted a documentary directed by Eugen Korda, which claimed Kaliňák did not always tell the truth in connection with the case. The director was rapidly dismissed from the television channel.
Perjury claims against Malinová
In November a certain Jaroslav Kubla reported Malinová to the authorities, accusing her with perjury. Later Kubla committed suicide by hanging himself leaving behind a suicide note which was not published by the police.
Meanwhile Malinová got into the centre of several conspiracy theories, which relate the case to the Slovak authorities or nationalists. Pravda daily and Radio Slovakia International comments the cause following: "The victim has become the guilty party, and the question now is whether or not she will be prosecuted herself. She's been a pawn in a political game from the very beginning." ... "Thanks to the overtime put in by Bela Bugar and his ethnic-Hungarian SMK party, Malinova appears to be the victim of 'Slovak extremism', and not of a 'Hungarian game.' At this stage, we can only forgive Hedviga, but not forget those who were standing behind her the whole time."
At the end of November 2007 the police initiated criminal prosecution against Malinová, who, in turn, brought the case to the Constitutional Court.
Allegations of injustice
After a relatively calm period the case was taken up again in May 2007, when Jaroslav Kubla, who had reported Malinová to the authorities accusing her with perjury, committed suicide. Hungarian political party Fidesz called Malinová's case a show trial, pointing to many controversial facts. As Zsolt Német reminded, the media was informed about the act of accusing before the lawyer of the victim, and the accusation had been announced before it actually took place. Robert Fico called the above "the coarse intervention of Budapest into Slovak home matters".
On 26 May it was revealed that, besides the deceased Jaroslav Kubla, there was another person who reported Malinová to the authorities. This reporter was later identified as Peter Korček, former secret agent and presently a member of the Christian Democratic Movement, a Slovak political party.
In June 2007, the case took another turn, when a new witness turned up. Zdeno Kamenický from Nitra claimed he knew one of the attackers, named Robert Benci from Nitra. Kamenický was officially never interrogated by the police, who claimed Benci had "bullet proof alibi." This alibi later turned out to be two contradicting statements from his mother and uncle, who said that Robert at the time was either at home sleeping or at a holiday place with his friends.
Also in June, the Hungarian Prime Minister, Ferenc Gyurcsány said that nobody has the right to doubt the independence of justice in another country.
In July 2007, Ján Packa admitted that "Malinová might have been beaten." He now said: "We never claimed she was not beaten. We claimed it did not happen the way she states." It was also revealed that medical certificates made right after the incident but disregarded by the police did prove Malinová's recounting. Dušan Čaplovič, the deputy prime minister, also accepted that: "She may have been beaten, but not because she was Hungarian."
Examinations following the above statements showed that Malinová's handwritten testimony was not copied accurately in typing, notably, an important sentence had been left out, which made Chief Prosecutor's Office start an investigation to find out if it was necessary to take up the case again. As a result of the investigation, Chief Public Prosecutor Dobroslav Trnka admitted that: "Both the police and prosecution made mistakes," without stating them.
In September 2007, Chief Prosecutor Dobroslav Trnka decided to replace police investigators working on the case of Malinová's alleged perjury.
In October 2007, Tom Lantos, a Hungarian-born Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, blamed the Slovak government for creating the climate for anti-Hungarian sentiments.
In December 2007, the Slovak police gave the video recording of the initial hearing of Malinová to Roman Kvasnica, her latest lawyer. The hearing lasted for six hours, but the police recorded only five hours of it and released only three hours initially. Despite the police's early claims, two cameras were used instead of one for the recording. Malinová is still accused of misleading the authority for which she may be sentenced to five years in prison.
References
- SK is Slovakia's ISO country code
- ^ Police: Hedviga lied at The Slovak Spectator
- An interview with a Slovak weekly in the online version of the Hungarian newspaper Népszabadság
- http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/szlo0912/
- http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/szlo0914/
- http://www.mkp.sk/eng/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=26&Itemid=33 Timetable Of Hedviga Malinová’s Case, published by SMK
- http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/botr62372/
- http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/malhed1110/
- Article in a well known Hungarian political-economic weekly
- http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/ossszel1115/
- http://www.slovakradio.sk/inetportal/rsi/core.php?page=showSprava&id=3716&lang=2
- http://www.slovakradio.sk/inetportal/rsi/core.php?page=showSprava&id=3716&lang=2 Slovak radio comment
- http://www.origo.hu/nagyvilag/20070525bucsulevelet.html
- http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/mhedvig0517/
- http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/malina0529h/
- http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/malinahedvig/
- http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/mahed070621/
- http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/hedvig1022/
- Kauza Malinová: Gyurcsány sa zastal Fica at Pravda Template:Sk icon
- http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/malin724h/
- Malinová case to get new prosecutor and investigator at The Slovak Spectator
- U.S. lawmaker blames Slovak government for ethnically motivated attacks on Hungarians from The Associated Press at The International Herald Tribune
- http://index.hu/politika/kulfold/mh5553/
- http://www.hirszerzo.hu/cikk.kiszivargott_kepsorok_mi_tortent_malina_hedvig_kihallgatasan.51649.html