Hungarian camerawoman to sue tripped refugee

  • 22/10/2015
Petra Laszlo made headlines last month (Reuters)
Petra Laszlo made headlines last month (Reuters)

The Hungarian journalist accused of tripping a Syrian refugee who was running from police says she plans to sue him.

Petra Laszlo made headlines last month after being filmed kicking a child and tripping up Osama Abdul Mohsen – who was carrying his child in his arms – as they fled police in a refugee camp near the town of Roszke, close to the border with Serbia.

Laszlo was fired from her job at internet-based television station N1TV, which is close with Hungary's far-right Jobbik party, but is now claiming Abdul Mohsen tripped over before encountering her leg, which footage showed was clearly stretched out.

"One of the refugees did not want to obey the police, he started to run away from them. I just wanted to help the police. And when I walked up to him, on the record it shows that he has already fallen," she said in an interview with Izvestia, a Russian news outlet.

She was also seen kicking two other refugees, but claimed that was done as a "defensive reaction".

She said she is also planning on suing Facebook because the social media giant refuses to take down fake profiles and hate pages dedicated to her.

"My husband wants to prove my innocence. For him, it is now a matter of honour," she said.

Laszlo will stand trial in Hungary in December, charged with breach of the peace.

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