HC Deb 28 June 1978 vol 952 cc614-5W
Mr. Greville Janner

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply to the hon. and learned Member for Leicester, West dated 14th June, that in view of the public interest in the cases of Alexander Ginsberg and Anatoli Scharansky, Vladimir Slepak, Marsha Slepak and Ida Nudel, he would consider asking for the admission of a British observer to the courtroom if the Soviet authorities decide to bring them to trial, what instructions he has given to the British Ambassador in Moscow in that regard.

Mr. Luard

My right hon. Friend has instructed Her Majesty's Ambassador at Moscow to establish whether or not foreign observers are being admitted to the trials of Ginsburg and Scharansky, and, if so, to ask the Soviet authorities to facilitate attendance by British observers. In the case of the Slepak and Nudel trials on 21st June observers were not admitted.