Budapest, May 14 (IANS) Bela Biszku, a high-ranking former senior official, was Tuesday sentenced by a Budapest court to five years and six months of imprisonment. The decision is subject to appeal.

Biszku was charged with conspiration to commit multiple homicides which qualify as so-called war crimes, Xinhua reported.

On December 6, 1956 three people were killed in Budapest and two days later in Salgotarjan, 46 people died in rallies.

Biszku has denied the charges.

Biszku served as interior minister in the government between 1957 and 1961, and became the deputy prime minister between 1961 and 1962.