although the death penalty was abolished in 1920. Offenders in Moscow whose deaths were desired were transferred to a military district for trial.
Judge Fisher says that the accused are not permitted to face their judges and are not told the nature of the charge nor given a chance to explain. Many have been executed without even knowing that they had been convicted. The tribunal "has no regard for the action of any other departments of the State." It is responsible to no one, and even the communist officials fear it. There is provision for appeal from the local or departmental Cheresvechaika to the All-Russian, but ordinarily the defendant has been executed before the appeal is perfected. Controlled by no law the tribunals, it is said, openly use their power to avenge the wrongs attributed to old-time enemies.
Judge Fisher, who is Chairman of the Russian and Ukrainian Committee of the Joint Distribution Committee, ends with a plea for the innocent sufferers.
(Summarized by the New York Times.)
