Hungarian police rape suspect posted to online forum

The attorney of Zsanett E., the young woman who claims she was raped by policemen in Budapest in May, has turned to the Budapest Investigating Prosecutor's Office over posts on the online forum of news portal Index.hu, apparently written by one of the suspects. The forum user, who posts under the handle "107" (the phone number of Hungarian Police) knows insider information about the case. The prosecutor's office is yet to respond.

According to Index.hu, "107" is probably Péter T., the policeman suspected of forcing 21-year-old Zsanett E. to engage in oral sex on Múzeum körút on May 14. In a post dated October 16, he wrote that he had followed Zsanett and her mother to a doctor's office and that "mom was the victim today." The same user wrote on December 5 that he is being paid to follow Zsanett.

Zsanett confirmed in October that on the day in question, she and her mother had been at a hospital, but it could not be seen that it was her mother who was going to see a doctor. This indicates that the forum user not only saw them but followed them that day.

Zsanett's attorney, Péter Tuza, requested the identity of the forum user to be determined, but the prosecutor's office has still not informed him whether any step has been taken. Tuza then said he would immediately initiate preliminary arrest if one of the suspects was following Zsanett.

On December 5, "107" wrote on the forum: "I would have been happier if I was fired, then I could sue the company, and I could work elsewhere and not just get paid for spying." Tuza submitted another request to the prosecutor's office that day, because the posts by "107" indicate that an associate of the prosecutor's office had promised the suspects or their attorneys that the proceedings would be suspended.

Tuza told Index.hu that he had again requested the identity of "107" be determined, because if he is one of the suspects, his comments could be used as indirect evidence during proceedings. He believes it is also in the interest of the prosecutor's office to identify "107," because his comments can put the office in an uncomfortable situation.

The portal contacted the spokesman of the prosecutor's office, Attila Morvai, but he is yet to answer their questions.

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