“JUSTICE” IN RUSSIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 July 1922, Page 10

“JUSTICE” IN RUSSIA.

MOB OVERAWES COURT. DEATH SENTENCE DEMANDED. London, Jpne 26. The Moscow Pilate: “I promise to pronounce a sentence that will satisfy the mob.” This scene, typical of the administration of justice under Soviet rule is strikingly similar to that enacted in the days of Jesus, says the Riga correspondent of the Times. It occurred in Moscow at the trial of a number of Social Revolutionaries. In response to an agitation in all the newspapers a demonstration was made in Court to demand vengeance on the prisoners. The chairman rose and demanded an explanation of the clamor. Shouts broke out of “Revolutionary justice!” and “Death to the prisoners!” The clamor did not cease, and the President rose at last and said: “It shall be as you wish. Sentence shall be? passed to satisfy the crowd.” The demonstrators withdrew, and the “trial” was continued. Pistakov, Deputy President of the Central Revolutionary Tribunal, is chairman of the commission, and his superior, Krylenko, is acting as prosecuting counsel, Messrs. Vandervelde, Liebknecht, and Rosenfeld, withdrew from the case. Owing to the .Soviet attempting to impose impossible conditions they found themselves to be virtual prisoners, and were obliged to resort to a hunger strike before they were permitted to return to Germany.