An unbelievable attack on campaign organising.

After yesterday’s announcement that many of the charges against the accused have been dropped, for the first time details of the remaining charges filed against the 10 animal rights activists have been made known: all 10 will be prosecuted under the controversial §278a and for various individual felonies. Furthermore, the investigations against them and an unknown number of other people continue.

„All hope that the prosecutors responsible for the case had finally come to their senses has dissolved into thin air today“, Alex Sommer of antirep2008 stated. „The filings received today show in an alarming manner that this attack by police and the justice system is not directed at specific felonies, but against an active social movement and successful campaigning.“

The charges against the accused are mainly activities directed at facilitating and supporting the goals of the alleged criminal organisation, ie „registering protests to the responsible agencies“, speaking at public discussions and panels, writing articles for newspapers or magazines or research in the field of fur trade and livestock. According to the charges filed, specific felonies were almost always supposedly committed by „unknown accomplices“.

The massive police investigations, which lasted more than two years, were seemingly focussed on the public, political and legal activity of individuals and groups. The use of so called „organised crime laws“ like §278a as means of criminalisation and justification for massive surveillance and observation, which has been feared by political groups for a long time, has been confirmed once more.

For further information:
e-Mail:  antirep2008@gmx.at www.antirep2008.tk
11. August 2009