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Jusqu’à cinq années de prison pour des militants politiques

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Merci d’écrire aux représentants des cinq principaux partis autrichiens pour les exhorter à modifier la loi qui a permis la persécution des militants et à écarter toute nouvelle proposition qui pourrait conduire à de semblables abus.

Ci-dessous, un modèle de lettre en anglais (traduction ici), que vous pouvez personnaliser et envoyer en ligne. Vous pouvez aussi écrire cette lettre en allemand.

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Dear (nom du destinataire),

I have always considered Austria to be an established constitutional state. However, what I have just read about Austria's treatment of social activists has deeply undermined my trust in the rule of law in this country.

It is highly disturbing to read that, in Austria, animal protection campaigners are now facing up to 5 years imprisonment because of activities such as organising demonstrations, expressing opinions or documenting the conditions on livestock farms, which is apparent from the charge sheets the activists have released.

As a member of parliament and a representative of a major political party, you share a great deal of responsibility for this situation. Although I appreciate that you are not empowered to interfere in the judicial proceedings, you do share the power over the legislation by which the court is bound. It is an essential aspect of a functioning democracy that any misuse of law for anti-democratic practices is promptly corrected by the legislature amending the law to make sure that such misuse shall not continue.

Making a person stand a six-month long trial, and especially imposing remand custody, is something that is only admissible if serious evidence of criminal behaviour can be presented. When the prosecution, instead, bases the charges on activities like organising demonstrations, it is indeed a totalitarian excess, which requires the use of all legitimate means for its remedy.

Therefore, I urge that your political party support the amendment of Sec 278a of the Penal Code, on which the persecution of the activists has been based. The existence of Sec 278a is justified by the need to fight organised crime, but its wording does not follow the EU and the UN definition of organised crime, which requires the intent to enrich oneself rather than to “exert influence over politics and the economy” to be present. Following the internationally recognised standard would surely not compromise Austria's security but would prevent further misuse of Sec 278a against political activists.

Furthermore, I urge that your political party reject any new provision whose interpretation could lead to similar excesses. I am especially concerned about the proposed widening of the anti-terrorist legislation, which has already been criticised by Amnesty International for providing too vague a definition of incitement and terror training, which could create another opportunity for persecution of inconvenient political activists.

I urge you to take this situation seriously. Persecuting citizens for their opinions and political activities is a practice that does not belong to the 21st century Europe.

Yours sincerely

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Liens vers les documents cités dans le modèle de lettre:

Les actes d’accusations - voir les Réferences.
Définitions du crime organisé selon l’UE et l’ONU (en anglais).
Position d’ Amnesty Internationalsur l’élargissement de la loi anti-terroriste en Autriche (en allemand).

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Jusqu’à cinq années de prison pour des militants politiques

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Honte à l’Autriche
Jusqu’à cinq années de prison pour des militants politiques