A-Infos (en) Turky, on Usak AnarchistAutonome trials (tr)

["Kara Kapkara" <dreamnymph@hotmail.com>]

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"The case which anarchists have been tried as an
organisation for the first time in this country has
ended with the confirmation of the aquittal decision
from supreme court. For remembering this trial that
will remain as a document for the future, here is a
short summary"

5 anarchists had been arrested during distributing
leaflets -which included the foresight that USA would
attack Iraq- on 1st of December 2001 protesting USA's
attack on Afghanistan titled "No to Capitalism and
War!" signed by Usak Anarchist Autonome. At first they
had been sent to Usak E-Type prison after 2 days of 
torture in the counter terrorism department on grounds
that they wrote "Capitalism Kills!", "No to War!",
"Long Live Anarchy, Freedom is on the Streets" on
several walls in the city . There they were held for
25 days in single person, unhealthy cells where
psychological pressure was high. Being constantly
under a lit lamp where the concept of "day" disappears
caused psychological problems and because of unhealthy
conditions of the cells one of the anarchists had a
problem with his leg that remains to this day. At the
end of the 25th day anarchists were taken out of cell
to a dormitory and remained there for a month and a
half and then were taken to Izmir F-Type Prison. They
were held in two person cells in isolation from the
rest of the world. In the court on April 3rd, 2002
they were released due to the campaign started before
trial, the media process that started after the
article by Yildirim Turker in "Radikal 2"
(Left/Liberal daily newspaper's weekend supplement)
and the support and interest shown by Turkish
anarchists, libertarians, libertarian lawyers, NGO's
and the press.

During the time they were out by continuing
collaboration with Turkish anarchists and anarchist
projects -Anarchist Black Cross-, there was news in
foreign media and alternative media. There has been
heavy support and interest by foreign anarchists. An
anarchist militant from the Spanish Revolution who
came to Ankara, Abel Paz was contacted. Abel showed
interest in the trial. On the trial on 23rd May 2002
the prosecutor changed his case from "illegal terror
organisation" to "support for terror organisation
named AGF (Anarchist Youth Federation, which is a
group isolated by other anarchists because of
authoritarean character and near-fatal violent attack
on an anarchist comrade, and beating others) and
demanded 1 to 3 years jail time. Trial was postponed
to July 25th 2002. 

In the mean time cases filed for crimes(!) of
distributing leaflets and writing on the walls in Usak
were continuing. With active support from anarchists
from Istanbul and Ankara the "Solidarity Statement"
was written and translated to all languages and sent
worldwide. Noam Chomsky was contacted with this
statement. Noam Chomsky wrote a letter of protest to
the Minister of Justice at that time, Hikmet Sami
Turk. The letter received interest in the media and
was news on NTV.

Anarchists were present in the trial on July 25th 2002
from several cities and from Germany (Munich and
Koln). The prosecutor repeated the charge of support
for AGF however the judge decided acquittal. The role
of solidarity was very large in this decision. However
the prosecutor appealed the decision with the idea
that "they have to be sentenced". The result of the
appeal was declared yesterday, the supreme court
confirmed the acquittal decision. Therefore the
"Support for illegal terror organisation" case was
officially closed. Anarchism has not been included as
a terrorist movement (I think this is the most
important point).

The trials of 4 anarchists from Usak on charges of
distributing leaflets and writing on the walls in Usak
Peace Prosecution Court (a low profile court) is
continuing. Updates will be made available after
trials on March 25 and April 10 2003.

Long live rebellion, long live anarchy.

Usak Anarchist Autonome
--------------------------------------------

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