| OCR Text |
Show Page CIO - THE HERALD, Provo, Utah, Thursday, June 14, 1990 War hampers courts in Beirut Prisoners wait long time for action on their cases - BeBEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) cause of the shelling, judges seldom hold people in jail awaiting trial, but artillery fire also keeps judges and lawyers away from work, so an accused can wait a long time for his day in court. Murder, burglary and other crimes still are against the law after 15 years of ruinous civil war, but the battle often overruns what remains of the criminal justice system. Months of fighting trapped about 420 prisoners being held on charges of murder, theft and drug trafficking. The showdown between Christian factions led by Gen. Michel Aoun and Samir Geagea has taken nearly 1,000 lives and wounded more than 2,500 people since Jan. 30. A lawyer who fled to Moslem west Beirut said judicial authorities were unable to meet to consider dozens of cases of people awaiting prosecution for common crimes. "They were arrested and jailed, and now their fate depends on the situation," said the lawyer. The Palace of Justice, where the meetings normally are held, is on the confrontation line between Geagea's areas of influence and Aoun's terrain. It is subject to constant sniper fire I envE and shelling. "We have been trying to form a committee, to meet anywhere, in order to take a decision to release the prisoners on bail pending a trial when security conditions permit," said the judge, who demanded anonymity like the others interviewed. "I switched on the TV one night and saw gunmen sniping from my office at the Palace of Justice. We obviously cannot meet there." According to the lawyer, some colleagues paid quick visits to the Palace of Justice to hide or remove files, "but it is not possible to operate normally from there." The jails are in the most heavily shelled areas of Roumieh, all Baabda and Furn held by Aoun, the judge said. Roumieh prison is the biggest. Aoun's main howitzer batteries are deployed in a wooded valley around it, partially protected from Geagea's fire. "The prisons are so crowded and in such dangerous areas that, whenever we can meet, we try to release most of the detainees who have committed minor offenses on bail set at a minimal amount," the judge said. "We also have no wards to treat drug addicts, so again we tend to set them free on bail because if we place them in prison, they'll be more corrupted by other prisoners." Few jails have bomb shelters and the guards generally flee when shelling starts. About fifty inmates escaped from a prison in Moslem west Beirut last year when artillery fire knocked down cell walls durbattle with ing Aoun's Syrian soldiers and their Moslem allies. Only about 30 were caught. The Christian feud has stopped family visits to prisoners, and telephones went dead months ago. "The lack of security also means prisoners could receive visitors only during lulls in the fighting," the judge said. "Those who have family and friends in th Geagea-controll- ed had visitors began." areas haven't since the clashes The judge said some prisoners who finished their terms might be safer in jail, but were not allowed to stay. "If they are known to have been Geagea supporters before they were imprisoned, they're in trouble, for the prisons are in an area under Aoun's control," he said. Abortion surfaces as major issue as two Germanys begin reuniting to a harmonization of July 2 and full union could come later this year. The West German government, led by Chancellor Helmut Kohl, says its constitution bars an abortion law such as East Germany's. "The right of the unborn child to live is not open to question under our constitution," said Norbert Greis, a legal expert for West Germany's Christian Social Union, the Bavarian sister party to Kohl's Christian Democrats. Not everyone in Kohl's coalition agrees, however. West German Justice Minister Hans Engelhard has suggested two different abortion laws could exist for an interim period after unification. The Christian Social Union says that would be out of the question. The West German Social Democrats say East Germany's law is a good model for a united Germany's KEILIGENSTADT, East GermaAbortion has emerged ny (AP) as one of the most emotional unification issues facing the Germanys, and people in both nations are debating which state's abortion law should prevail. West Germany restricts abortions to three situations: medical necessity, rape or incest, and dire social or economic hardship. In East Germany, first trimester abortions are performed cost-fre- e upon demand. Numbers reflect the widely varying laws. In East Germany, with a population of 16 million, 73,000 abortions were performed last year. In West Germany, whose population is four times higher, there were 75,297 legal abortions. East German doctors are prohibited from performing abortions on foreigners except in cases of emergency, but pregnant West German women are already crossing the border, hoping to take advantage of the looser law. The two Germanys plan to unite under the West German constitution as the quickest way to merge. Economic unity is to take place on abortion regulations, inter-Germ- law," said lawmaker Renate Schmidt, a Social Democrat. Many East German women say s he's right. abortion the "Changing regulations would only bring trouble for us," said a young, pregnant Easj. German woman, registering for an abortion at a women's clinic in Heiligenstadt, a rural East German border town.' East Germans are expected to face considerable economic hardship following unification because thousands of people are expected to lose their jobs and prices will soar. Many fear an abortion law like West Germany's could increase the economic burden on families by forcing them to have unwanted children. Christa Schmidt, East Germany's minister for family and women's affairs, said she would not "budge an inch" on abortion rights. arguing it places more importance on a woman's rights. "Women in East Germany would certainly not abide seeing their d abortion law fall victim Although East German Prime Minister Lothar de Maiziere has not spoke out on the issue, many members of his Christian Democratic Union disagree with Schmidt. long-vali- m something 1Uin5 Take Telephone Make and I .... Calls Wherever you no. Handheld Cellular Phone hoofd j. 1 l HALF PRICE! II I I Reg. 999.00 Low A$20 Per Month. Fits Easily in wmpaci NIsn4nL Your Briefcase-J- ust in w a a) Wide, Weighs 28 Ounces Talk for Over an Hour Per Charge Make Fathers' Day 1990 a special day for Dad, at Webb's Carpet One and Interior Design in Orem has special discounts up to 35 on recliners, gun cabinets, home office and den furnishings. Webb's also iiimm Puts the whole world in your hand! MaKe and take calls from your car, at a job site or on a boat anywhere there's cellular cprvir.fi Makes time more productive and has Utah's most complete selection of Frederick Remington bronze sculptures Dad will love. Come in and see newly remodeled show rooms at Webb's. Brand names like Highland House, Flexsteel, Clayton Marcus, Stanley, and Lexington, plus many more are on sale for Fathers' Day. Webb's Carpet One also has the largest kitchen cabinet display in Utah. Take advantage of Webb's Interior Design service that can redecorate your home, den or office. Webb's has interior decorators to assist you. Webb's Carpet One and Interior Design is just West of M5 at Orem's Center Street Exit. Watch for Webb's sign next to the freeway for additional specials. r 1 I L- -J . ( iiWa promauit). LowAa $25 Per Month. Readv tn n battery pack, antenna and carry case. Microcassette Recorder Save '50 9995 Hands-fre- iho . ui.'jn.. npcky-x.- i HAM. 80 able oT 95 rlicn V so 3. 7oni rem0V" Dual-Power- Calc ed 34 Off 908 65-56- Universal Remote -1 2495 20 off 3995 Reg. 39.95 Enjoy FM. AM or cassettes on the Batteries, headphones extra go! 4. Reg. 49.95 four to infrared re- Replaces up 11,1 ---" motes. Batteries extra AMFM Portable Save 8995 2495 Reg. 129.95 Reg. 39.95 . Big 4" speaker. Tonepulse dialing Scanner Save '40 Low As $15 Per Month. Catch all the action 20-13- 9 5 Batlenes extra W R.m$u; 2 f I Cordless Phone rail, more! viv j.:. .. batiery-pacraslls- Display angle adjusts for easy 4 viewing. Personal Stereo 43-56- 2 rn Reg. 14.95 Batteries extra speed-dial- it 63090 recording. e Cut 38 r. : Reg. 149.95 Low At $15 Per Month. 5b" thin! MS-DO- S' Rennires charoino stand. plus AC adapter or mobile mounting kit tT mm ' Reg. 999.00 vvimi Sale Ends PU-ComDati- wwuuurI. oizea, ...... with Built-i- n Software IV2" 1 (4 40-C- 61 Walkie-Talki- e h. Q995 Save '20 7995 Reg. 139.95 Reg. 99.95 Perfect for work, pleasure or travel. Full 5 watts. Battenes extra police, fire, Battels ta CREATING MKW MTMNOAHDM EXPERIENCED SALES TEAM Knowledgeable and friendly to help you make the smartest buying decisions Nobody Compares PRODUCT EXCLUSIVITY 15.000 electronic products preselected for ease ol use. reliability and value Nobody Compares I 'V Qj3ID MS (W Radia Shack ePius revolvmo credit Payment may vary depending upon your purchases PRICES APPLY Af PARTICIPATING STORES AND DEALERS Credit Cfdt Wolcomft |
