The story of the week: some odds and ends [UPDATED]

José Antonio de Chazal, a Bolivian constitutional expert, raised an interesting question that might undermine the official explanation of killing Flores and his colleagues and arresting Előd Tóásó and Mario Tadic. According to the professor, Előd Tóásó might demand compensation from the Bolivian government for his maltreatment during his capture.

Tóásó's lawyer, Rigoberto Paredes Ayllón, filed an official complaint because of the maltreatment of his client during his arrest, in front of the Pan-American human rights committee. According to José Antonio de Chazal, in order to see more clearly, first we have to know who the lawyer accused of violating the rights of his client, the President, his ministers or the chief of police.

One thing is clear, it was Evo Morales who ordered the liquidation of the alleged terrorist cell; he himself said this during the Latin-American summit in Venezuela. De Chazal finds this statement important because based on this, the Bolivian government might be obliged to compensate Előd Tóásó for his mistreatment during the arrest.

According to the professor, the Bolivian constitution guaranties the inviolability of the living spaces and the corresponding legal procedures during criminal investigation. According to the law, a legal official should always be present when police investigates the living quarters of citizens.

Henry Baldelomar, another Bolivian expert raised even a more intriguing possibility. According to him, if it turns out that there was no plotting against Evo Morales, this might provide a legal base for Hungary, Croatia and Ireland to take Bolivia to International Court for the killing their citizens and for disproportionate use of force.

(MTI)

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Despite repeated requests, Bolivian authorities still haven't provided an official account of the circumstances leading to the killing of two and the arresting of one Hungarian nationals.

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Józsa Mátyás, the Hungarian Ambassador to Argentina, visiting Bolivia, complained that Bolivian authorities are delaying permit approvals for the returning of Árpad Magyarosi's body to Hungary. (Comments: perhaps, they wait till nature takes its course; on a decomposed body harder to pinpoint the marks of torture; this might be one possible reason they have been keeping the body in a morgue without cooling facility).

The Ambassador also said that Rigoberto Paredes Ayllón, the lawyer of Előd Tóásó might need a personal protection because he could be a target for defending Tóásó. The lawyer currently, examining all the circumstances led to the capture of Tóásó. He has already found a violation of the procedures: authorities provided a translator for Tóásó but translator couldn't speak Hungarian.

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Hungarians living in Bolivia pointed out to the Ambassador that the Flores interview with András Kepes was mistranslated into Spanish.

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The Hungarian Red Cross got involved in the donation campaign helping the Magyarosi family bring back Árpád from Bolivia.

[Update]

The Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem Knights of Malta Federation of the Autonomous Priories will start an international fund raising campaign for Előd Tóásó's defense fund. The foreign affairs secretary of the Order, András Károly Nagy said that the fundamental rights of Előd Tóásó was violated during his arrest.

Bolivia's best legal firm has been commissioned to represent Tóásó. The lawyer costs 15 thousand dollars a year. The campaign will start the next week; in the same time, a non-profit organization will be set up that might serve for other Hungarian citizen in trouble as well.

András Károly Nagy also said that the Order doesn't consider Előd Tóásó a terrorist. Officials already got in touch with the Bolivian government and waiting for their approval to visit Tóásó in the jail.

After visiting Tóásó, defense lawyer Claudia Abasto said that the jail conditions for her client had improved; he gets more food but the wounds he suffered during his arrest still very much visible and he feels sick. She also said that authorities didn't want lawyers to be present during Tóásó's court appearances. Because, Tóásó's rights are violated repeatedly, it might be necessary to call upon the help of international organizations, said Claudia Abasto. She also said that there was a heightened anti-Hungarian sentiment in Bolivia and there were daily demonstrations in front of the jail.

András Károly Nagy said that the Hungarian government did everything possible to help Tóásó.

Edit Tóásó, Előd's sister said so far, she could get in touch with her brother one time, with the help of the Order; Bolivian authorities haven't permitted any kind of contact between Tóásó and his family. She said Bolivian authorities hadn't notified the family about the condition of her brother or the charges against him.

(MTI)

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One of the problems the defense lawyers have is communication. Előd Tóásó's Spanish is not good enough to communicate with his lawyers and so far they couldn't find a suitable translator. Currently, the consul does the translation and even the Hungarian Ambassador to Argentina, currently visiting Bolivia, had to jump in as translator to help out the lawyers.

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The Hungarian Red Cross reported that the fund raising drive covering transportation expenses for bringing Árpád Magyarosi's body home is still on. The money is coming in but still short of the 15 thousand dollars required to bring the body home. If everything goes according to plans Árpád Magyarosi's body will be flown back to Hungary sometime the middle of the next week. He will be buried in Budapest.

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Edit Tóásó looking at her brother's picture.

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Tóásó's injuries ten days after his arrest. The pictures made by his lawyer.



(Pictures: La Prensa)