New Anti-Terrorist Law in Austria

ELP Information Bulletin (22nd December 2009)

Dear friends

ELP has received the following update from supporters of the Austrian animal rights
activists who were arrested and remanded at the start of the year.....

the date has been set for the animal rights trial in austria. it will
start on 2nd of march 2010 with the questioning of the 10 charged
people. in the following, 115 witnesses of the prosecution will be
heard. after that, an so far unknown number of witnesses of the defence
might be heard.

the judge said she will sit on trial for 3 days per week to reserve the
remaining days for typing up the protocolls. she wants to go for
holidays in august, so that month the trial will be on hold. it is
estimated by her that the court case will last at least 6 months and
possibly a year.

in the meantime, the government is intending to introduce new
anti-terrorist laws. a new bill has been introduced, which makes it an
offence to
- speak or write in support of terrorist activity
- indice to terrorist activity
- teach others in terrorist activity (10 years prison)
- be advised in terrorist activity (5 years prison)
- publish especially on the internet anything that can be seen as
advising on terrorist activity (2 years prison)
- download from the internet anything that can be seen as advising on
terrorist activity (2 years prison)
- speak in person or via email in front of at least 30 people in
support of terrorist activity (2 years prison)
- speak in person or via email indicingly in front of at least 30
people about terrorist activity

this new bill is intended to become law by june 2010. it might make it
an offence to wear pro alf t-shirts or speak or write positively about
the alf, give workshops on any ar activity, which can be seen as
terrorist or download such information from the internet or participate
in such workshops.

an activity is considered "terrorist", if it is any criminal offence,
which is either severely disrupting the economy or disrupting it lightly
but for a longer time, with the intention to pressure somebody into
doing or not doing something.

if you committ an offence which is considered "terrorist", then the
normal penalty should be increased 1,5 times.


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Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network

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