TWO BROTHERS REDS JAILED RETURN HOME

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000700180026-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 27, 2004
• Sequence Number: 26
• Content Type: NSPR

Approved For Release 2005/01/05 : CIA-RDP75-00149R000700180026-1
Two Brothers
Reds Jailed
Return Home
Continued from 3rd Page
brother was "quicker on
the draw."
"I just wanted to do
something,", Michael. said,
describing his shock at.
seeing the political poster.
"It was just a reaction. I.
made the change without
thinking of the consequen-
ces. You could do it in
America."
Butt in Hungary they
didn't laugh. The brothers
were accused of inciting
the -Hungarian people, a
crime which _ could have
brought jail terms of from
6 months to 5 years.
Seized on Street
They were first taken to
a police station near the
broad, store-lined avenue
of Lennon Kerut where
they were arrested in mid-
evening on June 30, the
young men said.
It was more than a
month later-and after the
brothers' incarceration in
three. separate jails-that
t heir parents, Air. and
Mrs. John Savko, 15033
Killion St., Van Nuyi,
heard from them.
For the first 21 days of
their, imprisonment, they
were questioned separate-
ly and frequently by Hun-
g a. r i a n police officers
tryingAo determine whe-
ther they were spies, the
brothers said.
After that, they were al-
lowed to write U.S. offi-
cials and their parents and
on Aug. 8 the U.S. embas-
sy in Budapest became
aware of their arrest.
Another Prison
But it was Aug. 30 and
in another prison before
they were brought to trial
in the cavernous head-
q u a r t e r s of Budapest's
Central District Court.
The Savkos insisted the
poster change had been.
made as a witticism, not to
make a political point, but
they were forced to admit
that no matter how small
the change was, it had
been made. For the judge
that was enough.
During their imprison-
ment, the Savkos said,
they were treated well.
On Sept. 30, the young
men were taken. by car to
the border at Graz, Aus-
tria, where an American
opera singer, Mrs. Peggy
Alch, took them across the
border. She has been liv-
ing in Graz for 15 years
t i m e the Savkos w
crossing.
Approved For Release 2005/01/05 : CIA-RDP75-00149R000700180026-1