Dublin - Event Notice
Thursday January 01 1970

Support Demonstration On Tuesday 22nd July 2008 From 1pm Until 2pm.

dublin | animal rights | event notice

Tuesday July 15, 2008 20:23

by Bernie wright - AFAR

Dublin Demos against Austrian Injustice Continue.

Austrian National Tourist Office Merrion Center, Nutley Lane, Dublin4 01-2830488 01-2830531

SECOND IRISH SUPPORT DEMONSTRATION ON TUESDAY 22ND JULY 2008 from 1pm until 2pm.

Scandal of Justice Continues: New Extension of Remand in Custody for
Austrian Animal Protectionists

Because the suspects refused to renounce animal protection, their remand in custody was extended on the grounds that there remains the risk they will perpetrate criminal offences!

The District Court of Wiener Neustadt extended the remand in custody of the ten animal protectionists for a further two months today.
Even after inspection of the numerous computers and photos that have been confiscated, not one single substantiating charge has been added and many of the existing charges that made the strong impression of having been fabricated have already been dropped by the Chief Public Prosecutor. Nevertheless, the authorities insist on further remanding the animal protectionists in custody.

Legal animal protection work put forward as grounds

The judge presents as grounds for the extension that there is both legal and illegal animal protection work, so it is to be expected that those who work legally on animal protection must also know about the illegal activities.

This is only one of the hair-raising arguments that have resulted in ten innocent people's being further robbed of their freedoms.

This is particularly absurd in Martin Balluch’s case: He was evidently asked if he would want to remain as chairman of the Association Against Animal Factories (VGT) if he were released. He naturally answered with “yes.” The court apparently considers this evidence of a risk that he will perpetrate criminal offences, and has used it to serve as further justification for his extended remand in custody.

Stefan Traxler, legal counsel to four of the accused commented, “The extension of the remand in custody is scandalous and completely excessive. Not only is there still no substantial evidence for criminal offences, but at these review proceedings once again files were referred to which defence counsel has no access to.”

Further files that amount to nothing

The new parts of files which were released by the Public Prosecutor last Friday contain no new counts of indictment, instead they indicate a surveillance operation of immense proportions.

For years, telephone calls were listened in on, entrances to private apartments put under video surveillance, individuals observed, and homing devices were even placed on cars.

Apart from the unbelievable cost of such an operation, what is most interesting is that the authorities are unable to find evidence of any criminal offences despite the incredible lengths they went to. The only conclusion that this warrants is that the operation was carried out on a hunch and the accusations are simply wrong.

Still the costs must be somehow justified, so ten animal protectionists must pay the price, so to speak. More “confiscations of computers” have been announced. How far do the authorities really want to go? It seems that the twenty-four controversial search operations have produced nothing of relevance, yet the authorities still intend to continue - in the hope that somewhere they will uncover something incriminating that in retrospect could justify the measures they took?!

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Comments (2 of 2)

Odd place for a demo

by WTF

Mon Jul 21, 2008 11:28

Why are you bothering the Austrian tourist office?????Wouldnt the Embassy be a more appropriate target???

Austria solidarity formed.

by B Wright - Alliance for Animal Rights (AFAR)

Fri Jul 18, 2008 22:19

info at austriasolidarity dot com

AUSTRIA SOLIDARITY -
AN INTERNATIONAL GROUP OF ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS CONCERNED ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS IN AUSTRIA

http://www.austriasolidarity.com
info@austriasolidarity.com

Open Letter to Mr. José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission
18 Jul 08

COPIES
-Federal Chancellor Dr. Alfred Gusenbauer -Federal President Dr. Heinz Fischer -Minister for the Interior Dr. Maria Fekter -Minister for Justice Dr. Maria Berger

SUBJECT: Concern about Breach of Human Rights in Austria

In early morning of May 21st last, 23 apartments and offices were raided by masked Austrian police pointing guns at bewildered people.
Computers and documents of some NGOs were seized, severely hampering or even paralyzing their future activities.

Ten Austrian citizens were arrested under the accusation of being members of what - under Article 278a of the Austrian Criminal Code - is deemed to be a 'criminal organisation'. So far no detailed charges have been brought against the detainees, no interviews have taken place and they and their lawyers are still being refused access to much of the alleged evidence against them.

Article 278 was enacted in 2002 to counteract drug smuggling, human trafficking and other such forms of serious organised crime. Yet, it is now being used for the detention of ten people against whom no such allegations have ever been made.

All in all, this raises some disturbing questions:

1. Since - after almost two months of poring through documents and computer discs - no real evidence has been produced by the prosecution to link the ten to any punishable activities, how can it still be argued that there is a case to answer warranting continued imprisonment?

2. Why is Article 278a, which was designed to fight serious crimes, being used against legitimate NGO work?

3. Is it possible that the authorities are utilizing Article 278a because of the exceptionally long detention periods allowed under it as a means of keeping these activists locked up for as long as possible?

4. Did the fact that in the last few years in Austria, non-violent animal rights campaigners have - using strictly legal means - been winning increasing support in Austrian society and have scored some notable court victories in their fight against cruelty to animals lead to this shockingly harsh treatment?

5. The European Convention on Human Rights (Article 5) insists on the prisoners' 'detention [...] on reasonable suspicion of having committed an offence' and on his/her being 'entitled to trial within a reasonable time'. Can anyone claim that the spirit of this article is being adhered to in this case?

There is serious and growing concern about the way in which in Austria the human right to freedom of expression is undermined whilst at the same time legal activities of non-governmental organizations are being choked.

Austria as member of the European Union has to respect European values; it must be prevented from eroding fundamental liberties.

Therefore, we urge the European Commission to take a position on this problem, in order to help solve it soon and restore the confidence of European citizens in a Europe where freedom of speech and trust in the highest institutions are fundamental values which cannot be deemed superfluous.

ENDORSEMENTS BY POLITICIANS

Dr Caroline Lucas, Green Party MEP for SE England
(www.carolinelucasmep.org.uk)

Jean Lambert, MEP London, Green Party
(http://www.jeanlambertmep.org.uk/)

Jens Holm, MEP Left Party, Sweden
(www.jensholm.se)

ENDORSEMENTS BY ORGANISATIONS
http://austriasolidarity.com/showart.php?articleid=6887

ENDORSEMENTS BY INDIVIDUALS
http://austriasolidarity.com/showart.php?articleid=6888

Open Letter to Mr. José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission available online here
http://austriasolidarity.com/showart.php?articleid=6886

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Support Demonstration On Tuesday 22nd July 2008 From 1pm Until 2pm.

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