Bela Biszku, Hungary's former Minister of the Interior died at the age of 94 after a lengthy illness. The former communist was charged with committing war crimes, but he died before a potential sentence could have been declared.
Biszku was born in 1957, participated in the resistance against the Nazi German occupation of Hungary. In 1944, he joined the Hungarian Communist Party (MKP) and served as Minister of the Interior from 1957 to 1961.
He is known for the severity he showed in suppressing and punishing after the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 was defeated. That was the reason for his charges as it is believed that he might have committed war crimes during the suppression of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. He became the first and to date only former top-official in Hungary who has been prosecuted because of political role in the communist era.
Although, his case was a lengthy one, went through several stages he actually died before a potential sentence of a repeat procedure's second degree could have been declared.
