Support Austrian Activists

On the morning of May 21, 2008, in a country-wide police operation 23 premises were raided and ten animal protectionists arrested.

Doors were rammed open and masked police units stormed into homes with their guns drawn. There followed intimidation through verbal and bodily harassment and humiliation.

As justification, the Public Prosecution cites § 278a Austrian Penal Code ("criminal organization"), a law, which is otherwise used solely in relation to smuggling rings and Mafia groups. Proof that alleged "criminal organisation" exisits is still outstanding, as are concrete connections that the detainees supposedly have with this ominous organization.

It is not acceptable, that a state under the rule of law remands people in custody without convincing argument, or that police confiscate computers, mobile phones, data bases and documents on the off chance. Four NGOs have been robbed of their functional existence in this manner. These are serious violations of civil rights.

Some of the detainees are on hunger strike. The Human Rights Organization and Amnesty International stood in defense of activists. The Amnesty International statement you can read here.

You can send your letter to the following authorities:

Federal Chancellor Dr. Alfred Gusenbauer
Federal President Dr. Heinz Fischer
Minister for the Interior Günther Platter
Minister for Justice Dr. Maria Berger

Or you can send standard email text via online form:

Federal Chancellor Dr. Alfred Gusenbauer
Federal President Dr. Heinz Fischer
Minister for the Interior Günther Platter
Minister for Justice Dr. Maria Berger

You can also sign an online petition.