Declaration of support: Solidarity with antimilitarists

In late September 2008, proceedings against the three Berliners Oliver, Florian and Axel began at the Berlin Superior Court of Justice. The Prosecutor General accuses them of attempting to commit arson against a military truck as well as membership of the "militante gruppe" (mg). The three defendants were arrested in July of last year after they allegedly attempted to set light to German a military vehicle. Without presenting evidence of participation in arson attacks by the "militante gruppe", the Prosecutor General charged them in accordance with §129. Using the construct of a "criminal association", the antimilitarists face several years imprisonment. We call for an immediate end to the §129(a) investigation and the abolition of this political law.

The investigations in the §129(a) proceedings are aimed at a total of seven suspects and were initially instigated according to the anti-terror paragraph §129a. The surveillance powers it permits have been used against numerous political activists, leading to comprehensive observation and criminalisation despite insufficient evidence. Absurd grounds of suspicion were used to justify long term surveillance measures, searches in people's homes and arrest warrants. During the proceedings, the defence rights of the accused were undermined and the investigating authority's cooperation with intelligence services became apparent. In two cases, the Federal Court rejected or restricted the investigations of the Prosecutor General. However the charge now made against Oliver, Florian and Axel is still based on existent constructs as well as vague evidence and statements by an intelligence service informant. Such cooperation between the intelligence services and investigating authorities contravenes the constitutionally stipulated detachment of the two bodies. We call for the dissolution of the intelligence services and the disclosure of all previous investigation measures against the three antimilitarists.

In view of the international military deployment of German military services, many regard the destruction of military vehicles as a concrete disarmament initiative. In other countries, activists who - like Axel, Oliver and Florian - were charged with sabotaging war machinery, were acquitted or only condemned to minor punishment for damage to property. In Ireland, anti-war activists that destroyed an F-16 bomber were even acquitted on the grounds that their actions had contributed to preventing worse events – namely war activities.

We support the call for the acquittal of the three antimilitarists.

To sign this declaration, send your name, job and city to us: einstellung [at] so36.net. Thank you.

01.10.2008

Tags: prozess | soliarbeit | solidarität