Evening star., 1955-01-24
Belgrade Trial Opens
For Charged With
Undermining Tito
y Il. A..seis..d Pres.

~ tss~ rt@S>'-s-'N- 80
BELGRADE. Yugosiayia. Jan.
a.. = Yugoslavia's Communist
government began a secret trial
Of former vice president Milovan
Djilas and Vladimar Dedijer to-
day on charges they tried to
undermine President Marshal
Tito's regime through the writ
ings of foreign newsmen.
In an atmosphere Of tension.
q crowd Of 100 booed and hissed
the two defendants and shouted
epithets at foreign correspond
ents waiting outside the court
room.
The foreign press was barred
from the trial from the start.
Soon after it opened repre-
sentatives Of Yugoslavia's ON
cial press and about 100 other
spectators were elected at the
request Of the state prosecutor.
apparently in an effort to prevent
the proceedings from leaking out
to foreign newsmen.
Both Tito Comrades.
Conviction could bring Djilas
and Dedijer, both Tfto's wartime
comrades in arms, sentences
ranging from six months to 20
years at hard labor.
In barring the foreign jour-
nalists from the court, the
Government charged they had
carried on q campaign to dis
credit Tito's regime in connec-
ton with the case and would
not faithfully report the trial"
The regime objected to the wide
publicity given the case abroad
and to foreign speculation that
1t indicated q split in the ruling
Communist ranks.
In asking for removal of the
Yugoslav audience, the prosecu-
tor said the case involved
foreign relations. He also said
reports abroad Of the proceedings
might create an atmosphere
harmful to Yugoslavia's interests.
The president Of the five-man
circuit court hearing the case
refused to disclose to foreign
newsnep the contents Of the
indictments. It was reported.
however, they were based on
interviews Djilas and Dedijer
had given foreign correspond
ents and subsequent articles
which appeared in publications
abroad.
No Report on Pleas.
There also was no official word
on how Djilas and Dediier
pleaded to the secret indictments.
The court president would say
only that the verdict would be
made public.
The case stemmed from Djilas'
criticism in the Yugoslav Com.
munist Party newspaper Borba
that the party and the govern
ment should allow greater free
dom for political thinking. Djilas.
IS. and one Of the top four men
in the regime, was fired from
the party central committee q
year ago and stripped of his vice
presidency.
Dedijer. 41-year-old biographer
Of Tito and q member Of Parlia-
.naent, supported Djilas before
the central committee. He was
removed from the Craftsmanship
Of Parliament's important for
eign policy committee. Last
month Parliament lifted his i'm
munity as a deputy and ordered
his trial with Djilas on criminal
charges.
Mother Denied Entry.
In contrast to other major
trials, there was no advance
public notice today. Neverthe-
less the small crowd collected
outside in the cold. With it was
Djilas' frail and aging mother.
who was denied entry to the
court.
AS the crowd booed and hissed.
Djilas and his guards paused
long enough for him to hug and
kiss her. Then, as the crowd
closed in, he and Dediier and
their guards inched their way
into the building.
Djilas turned angrily as he
entered and shouted back "kush. !"
normally used in Yugoslavia to
quiet dogs. Dedijer did not re-
spond to the taunts.
At the trials opening Djilas
pleaded with the court for his
mothers admission. The presid-
ing Judge turned down the re-
quest, saying he wanted to
spare the old lady the excite
ment Of the trial"