325

Posts Tagged ‘Trial’

Solidarity and complicity with the comrades arrested in Brenner (Italy)

Friday, May 27th, 2016



FORTUNE DOESN’T ALWAYS FAVOR THE BRAVE

Solidarity and complicity with the comrades arrested in Brenner
Apocalyptic scenarios of a fascist future, right-wing forces taking hold in Europe, walls being erected and borders being closed, deportations and detention camps.

The leaders of global capitalism are about to close the Brenner pass in order to stop the transit of human beings. People must be stopped even at the cost of contradicting the constitutional principles of the EU itself, as it crumbles in the face of the first wave of migration.

We knew very well what we were in for on 7th May, on the demo ‘Destroy the borders in Brenner and everywhere’; we knew perfectly well what it meant to march in an unauthorized demo through a 370-metre wide pass from mountain to mountain. We knew very well that the geography of the place was against us.
(more…)

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in No Borders

Report on the 18.05.16 CCF trial hearing for the Jan 2015 escape attempt (Greece)

Thursday, May 26th, 2016

On Wednesday May 18, after being delayed by the lawyers strike, the trial resumed for the attempted escape by the comrades from the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire (the foiled escape plan of January 2015). Also accused are the comrade Angeliki Spyropoulou and family members of the comrades.

It is important to mention that the judge presiding over the court, A. Yfanti, has used his filthy power fully aligned with the vengeful state against the CCF comrades, trying for example to go ahead with the trial without lawyers, mocking the comrades and ignoring the requests of lawyers.

At the beginning of the hearing on Wednesday, a lawyer for one of the comrades of the CCF was absent. In these cases the court is obliged to appoint a new layer, but the president of the court ordered that he be tried without a lawyer present.

Immediately the CCF comrades Gerasimos Tsakalos, Olga Economidou and Christos Tsakalos who were present in the courtroom interrupted the hearing, shouting at and cursing at the judge for the fascist practices shown during the trial. The comrades began throwing objects after which the guards intervened while the president of the court ran to hide in an office.

One of the lawyers took to the floor and presented a request to stop the trial because of the actions of the judge.

The comrade Christos Tsakalos then referred to the risk their relatives face (his mother, the wife of Gerasimos and the brother of comrade Giorgos Polydoros), they are being accused of ‘belonging to a terrorist organization’ and with the aggravating provisions they could be punished with up to 20 years in prison.

The comrades of CCF and the comrade Angeliki Spyropoulou claimed responsibility for the escape plan, noting that none of the remaining defendants had any role in it. They then left the room stating it was a fact that the judge would ask for their expulsion, which actually did take place, the judge ordered that the 3 comrades G. Tsakalos, O. Econimidou and C. Tsakalos be expelled indefinitely from the courtroom. Lawyer appealed the decision but their claims were not considered.

The next session of the trial was set for Tuesday, May 24, the day on which the first 5 witnesses will be paraded, all of whom are police officers.

From our enemies we can expect nothing, and this is clearly vengeance by the state against anarchists and urban guerrillas who remain unrepentant for their ideas and actions.

Insurrectionary and internationalist solidarity with the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire, their accused relatives and comrade Angeliki Spyropoulou!

(via Sin Banderas Ni Fronteras and Athens Indymedia, Insurrection News)

–

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Prison Struggle

Text of the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire for the Court of Appeal (Greece)

Monday, April 25th, 2016

On the 20th of April starts the second grade trial not only for the C.C.F. Case and some of its actions, but also for some other different cases of anarchists accused for actions of revolutionary violence. All these cases were attached to each other in a single trial, in order to serve many different and parallel judiciary manipulations against all those accused.

Regarding ourselves, we make it clear that towards the legal processes of this court, as well as any of its issues, we are completely indifferent. But even if the legal dimension is not one of our concerns, we’re interested in taking advantage of this opportunity to defend once more the action of the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire, to convert one more court-trial into an arena where anarchy stands against the enemies of freedom. A chance to confront again the technocrat servants of Justice and show that they are responsible for the misery that their existence carries.

The starting point of the state’s repression, the raid and invasion at the house in Halandri on 23/09/2009 and the arrest of Haris Hadzimihelakis – a member of the Conspiracy as well as that of others related to the case or not, and the barrage of persecutions that followed was a strong surprise for an important part of anarchy. It is a fact that a great shadow of fear spread causing a generalized numbness which contributed to the halting of the aggressive polymorphy that occurred during the period 2008-2009, as direct action decreased steeply.

At the upcoming trial inside the courtroom, a section of the history of the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire, which the state seeks to punish through the dead letters of the pages of the penal code which constitutes the peak of repression against the anarchist prisoners, will live again.

The dozens of arson attacks against state and capitalist targets, the bombings of politicians’ homes, the arrest warrants, captivity, illegality, the upgraded explosive devices in courts, prisons, banks, homes of fascists and other enemies of the revolutionary cause, are our own subversive experience as it proceeded through the Conspiracy, and we will defend it as such.

By defending politically our actions, we want to make it clear that we remain impenitent for our choices and actions through the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire, and we aim to abolish the mapping of our history with the laws and the “wooden” language of the judges and instead impart to it its real characteristics, those of the decision of an anarchist group to arm themselves and carry out attacks against the system and its servants.

The fact that after so many years in prison we continue consistently supporting anarchy, the urban guerrilla and the option of all-out attack against the existent is our way to remain deniers of this society and its civilization.

Seven years later therefore, we don’t regret anything. The Conspiracy of Cells of Fire is more than a simple tool. It’s part of our own life and we’re never going to renounce it.

Because if time could turn back we would still walk the same path, because the fire of anarchist revolt still burns in our hearts.

Today more than ever there is a need to coordinate our passion to destroy the authoritative structures that surround us and to throw ourselves into a battle seeking freedom through thousands of acts that tries to disrupt the normality of the social machine.

The nuclei of the Informal Anarchist Federation, anonymous comrades who disturb the peace of the capitalist metropoles with their attacks, the polymorphous anarchist action trimming the function of sovereignty, the Black December project, the Insurrectionary Association of Theory and Action, is nothing but pieces of a mosaic of actions that build again an anarchy that is a real danger for power and its civilization.

Let’s turn these plans into an everyday war against the state and let’s venture into the ceaseless battle for the resurgence of the constant anarchist insurrection.

The bet is still open…

Everything continues…

The members of the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire – FAI / IRF

Damianos Bolano
Giorgos Nikolopoulos
Michalis Nikolopoulos
Theofilos Mavropoulos
Panagiotis Argyros
Harris Hatzimichelakis

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Prison Struggle

Conspiracy of Cells of Fire: Our trials will turn into a conviction of the State (Greece)

Saturday, April 23rd, 2016

(For the April 20th court of appeal).

“The distance that separates freedom from slavery… is boldness…”

On April 20th, at Korydallos prison, the Court of Appeal for the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire begins.

We’re on trial for the explosive device found at the house in Halandri (“Halandri” case), for the bombings of the former Interior Minister P. Hinofotis’s house (he worked in the army during the years of the Junta), of the home of the ex-deputy and current president of the Bank of Greece L.Katseli and the bombing of the Macedonia-Thrace Ministry, on the eve of the Thessaloniki International Fair.

We are also accused of sending parcel bombs to embassies, international police-judicial institutions (Eurojust-Europol), as well as to Chancellor [Angela] Merkel, to the Prime Minister of Italy (at that time) media mogul Berlusconi and to racist ex-French President Sarkozy.

Finally, we’re on trial for aggravated gun possession and for the scuffle with cops in Pefki.

All these are some snapshots of the action of the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire. We’ve openly claimed responsibility and defend all of our actions, as we are convinced that one cannot gain the world neither with prayers nor with curses.

It’s not only the members of the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire and other anarchists for other cases that go on trial on April 20th, BUT the option of the urban guerrilla in total.

In fact, what’s on trial is the option of armed struggle against the murderous machine of power.

Today, anyone who does not understand the necessity of armed anarchist action against the tyrants of our life, is either extremely naive or a cop.

All those who roll the dice with our lives in the stock markets, the central banks, the international meetings of power, are not going to give up their offices and their wealth because we politely ask them to do so… The only language they understand is fear.

Our voices and ideas are more powerful when they come from the barrel of a gun…

Enough with tolerating the scarecrows of the power mocking us as they speak of “democracy”, “freedom” and “rights.”

If you want to understand what all of them think do not listen to their words… just look at their pockets…

They are the same ones who have imposed a murderous financial dictatorship strangling our life every day, pushing some people to resignment and others to suicide.

They are the same ones who send armies and turn whole countries into mass graves favoring the interests of oil and multinational corporations.

They are the same ones who run the propaganda and the spectacle which is turning lies into the truth, life as digital fakeness and happiness in mobile phone accessories.

No peaceful protest, no left wing illusion is going to overturn power from its throne.

The question that often sounds like a dirge “and how is the world going to change?” is crappy, defeatist and cowardly… Anyone who wants to change her life and the world, gets armed and becomes the answer.

On April 20th the judicial Inquisition wants to elicit from us, a sign of remorse, a sign of truce…

We were locked in cells, they moved us into the isolation section, they arrested and imprisoned our relatives, we are being on trial inside the prisons BUT we’re not going to be at peace with death and subjugation…

The Conspiracy of Cells of Fire will be reconstructed and will be back on the attack…

“The ugliness of power has been analyzed and interpreted by every generation and every aspect… What is happening today does not need further analysis, it needs actions…”

LONG LIVE THE CONSPIRACY OF CELLS OF FIRE
LONG LIVE THE INFORMAL ANARCHIST FEDERATION (F.A.I.)
LONG LIVE THE ANARCHIST URBAN GUERRILLA

The members of the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire – FAI / IRF

Olga Economidou

Giorgos Polydoros

Christos Tsakalos

Gerasimos Tsakalos

*Translated by A-politiko as a minimal form of solidarity to our comrades, for the solidarity day on April 23rd.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Prison Struggle

Anarchist comrade Igor Shevtsov on trial for arson of the house of the Defense Minister and graffiti on a prison wall (Czech Republic)

Monday, April 18th, 2016

The very first court hearing since the [Operation] Fenix started will take a place in Czech Republic Prague city court on April 26-27th. The court is about the case of Igor Shevcov. An anarchist accused of fabricated attack on the house of the Minister of Defense.

During this so called attack nothing was damaged and no one got hurt. In the time of incident – which the ministers’ son mentioned in his first testimony – Igor could not be physically near by the house.

Igor already had spent 3 months in remand and since September 2015 he has been out on probation. Part of the “deal” is that Igor could have not leave the Czech Republic at all and once a week he must go to visit the probation office. He can be sentenced up to 15 years. Take friends and come to support a comrade, anarchist and great friend Igor in the court room!

The solidarity is our strongest weapon!

Tags: , ,
Posted in Prison Struggle

Jared Chase of the NATO 3 goes on trial Monday (USA)

Friday, April 8th, 2016

Apr 11 at 9 AM to Apr 15 at 5 PM in CDT
Cook County Criminal Courthouse
2600 S California Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60623

The day is here. Our friend and comrade Jared ‘Jay’ Chase goes on trial starting Monday. Will you stand with him?

Jay is supposed to be coming home on May 6th but this trial is creating a situation where he may not. We need you to PACK THE COURT. The attendance at previous hearings has been small at best. Jay is in prison on entrapment charges from the NATO 3 case and these charges stem from his time in solitary confinement at Cook County Jail.

Anita Alvarez is prosecuting Jay. Yes, the same Anita whose events you disrupted and who you voted out of office. The same fascist who prosecuted the NATO 5 cases, the Tinley Park 5 and Jason Hammond, the same monster who is finally leaving office. This is her legacy though. It does not matter that she lost -her office is prosecuting Jay for alleged assault charges. It is great that people disrupted her campaign events but will they show up for his trial?

Jay was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease while in captivity in Cook County Jail and the ongoing brutalization and isolation he has faced has contributed to a noticeable and alarming deterioration in his health.

This trial is not just about a few extra years being tacked on to his current sentence which is coming to an end in May. The State has made it very clear through this obviously vindictive prosecution that they want to ensure Jay lives out his days in their cage.

Jay needs your support and solidarity. Everyone needs to see that Chicago stands with him and we have his back.

NATO 3 Defense Committee
freethenato3.wordpress.com

Tags: , ,
Posted in Prison Struggle

Judge continues the trial against CCF despite concerns raised by District Attorney & defense lawyers (Greece)

Sunday, April 3rd, 2016

Today on March 31st the court convened for the trial against members of the C.C.F. accused to have planned an escape from prison. Due to an ongoing lawyers’ strike, the defense attorneys asked for the trial to temporarily discontinue. The lawyers even proceeded to the submission of relevant documents from the Bar Association certifying the strike and the lawyers’ need to take part in it.

The District Attorney Koutras also suggested to temporarily discontinue the trial on account of the aforementioned strike and the lawyers’ abstention. The judicial board left the courtroom to have a meeting and come to a decision. When the board returned, Justice A. Yfanti, announced that the entire board minus one judge, rejected the lawyers’ request and decided to continue the trial proceedings. Moreover, they gave an ultimatum to the defense lawyers, saying that ”If you do not exercise your duties you will be removed”. (more…)

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Prison Struggle

Anarchist comrades Mónica and Francisco sentenced to 12 years prison (Spain)

Thursday, March 31st, 2016

via contramadriz:

Today March 30, 2016, lawyers of the compas Mónica Caballero and Francisco Solar were notified that the sentence of the High Court condemns the anarchists to 5 years in prison on charges of “injury”, plus 7 years for “damage with terrorist purpose”, with a total of 12 years in prison for each of them. They were acquitted of the charges of “belonging to a terrorist organization and conspiracy” against the Monastery of Montserrat.

Facing the condemnation of our comrades we have the challenge of extend the struggle and solidarity, to defend our ties and our ideas, to deny that their world is reduced to the four walls that keep them locked up.

Strength to our imprisoned comrades, always present in our struggles and our
daily lives.

There is no “inside”, nor is there an “outside”, there are only enemies against the state and all authority.

Death to the state and long live anarchy!

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Prison Struggle

End of the legal prosecution against eco-anarchists Silvia, Costa & Billy who attempted to blow up an IBM nano-facility under construction (Italy)

Thursday, March 24th, 2016

Note of Instinto Salvaje: We joyfully salute from a distance the news of the closure of the proceedings against our comrades Billy, Silvia and Costa, who will not be prosecuted in Italy. For now we publish the news complied from TG Magddalena and enemy sources. We send all our love and solidarity to the three comrades.

Finally, on the morning of March 23, 2016, the trial of Billy, Silvia and Costa was completed. A little before 12:00 am in court room 47, where the reading of the process was given.

“Ne bis in idem” (The fundamental right not to be judged twice for the same offense), the court ruled that prosecution was “not applicable for lack of jurisdiction” since our comrades were already condemned in Switzerland for possession, transportation and handling of explosives during the attempted attack on an IBM nano-technology research center in Zurich claimed by the Earth Liberation Front, where they served sentences of more than three years. So this “fundamental right” applies to not be judged twice for the same act. Therefore, the three anarchists will not be judged in Italy.

Billy, Silvia and Costa were not present in the court room, but were informed of the results of the procedures and the support and solidarity of our comrades who were present.

Soon we will be updating with more depth about case of the three comrades.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Eco Struggle

Last day of the trial against anarchist comrades Mónica and Francisco (Spain)

Wednesday, March 16th, 2016

Also see reports for days 1 & 2.

Today, Thursday, March 10, the third and final hearing in the trial of our comrades Mónica and Francisco took place. There was mainly the summing up of the lawyers for both the defence and the prosecution, and that of the Public Prosecutor.

The hearing began with the expert witnesses called by the defence, who submitted reports on the comparative study of DNA from a number of objects found after the explosion, and DNA of Francisco and Mónica extracted from objects taken from their cells. They confirmed what had already been exposed in the reports: there is absolutely no correspondence.

Subsequently, the judge asked whether the parties confirmed their initial conclusions, a question to which the lawyer of the specific accuser, the woman who was in the Pilar at the moment of the explosion, confirmed wanting to maintain the charges of “damage” and “injury”, but asked for the charges of membership and conspiracy to be dropped, significantly lowering the request to 12 years and a day for each and asking for compensation of 102,000 euro. (more…)

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Prison Struggle