From: Blythe Systems <nytransfer%igc.apc.org@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu>
Subject: NEWS: Political Prisoners, Germany/ECN
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: daemon@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: ?
Resent-From: "Rich Winkel" <MATHRICH@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu>
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 20:39:11 GMT


Via The NY Transfer News Service ^ All the News that Doesn't Fit

Info: Political prisoners in Germany
from the Electronic Counter Network (ECN)

[slightly edited for grammatical sense, but otherwise as received.]

                CONCERNING THE ACTUAL SITUATION OF
                THE POLITICAL PRISONERS IN THE FRG

Since 20 years there are political prisoners from the RAF and the
resistance movement. The aim of imprisonment in general is the
"re-socialisation," the re-integration in society, i.e. in the
'free job market" [and in] the family, respectively. Those who
stick to their refusal of the kapitalist and sexist system, should
be physically and psychically destroyed by the imprisonment.  That
means special conditions of imprisonment, for example isolation
for 24 hours a day, visits only with a separating pane, blinkers
in front of the window of the cell, observation by video camera,
etc. For 20 years the prisoners are fighting against these
conditions by countless actions and hunger strikes, among them 10
collective ones. Their aim was to come together in one or two big
groups, unhindered discussion among themselves and with all parts
of society and the release of all unfit for imprisonment.

There were always prisoners who are badly ill and cannot be
adequately treated in jail. For example Ali Jansen who suffers
from asthma and is permanently exposed to the danger that a
seizure of asthma is not recognized in time that can cause his
death.

In the meantime there were little improvements of the conditions
in jail and these small groups of three and four prisoners have
been established. The prisoners in these small groups are
permanently threatened with isolation again when they don't show
good behaviour.

Concerning the development in the past half year

At the beginning of this year it was published that a part of the
police- and justice-apparatus, especially the Minister of Justice
Kinkel and the KGT -- Co-ordinating group terrorism fighting, that
is made up by the Ministers of Justice of the Federal Government
and of the federal states and the heading officials of the police,
secret service and the Federal attorneyship -- has come up with a
new strategy for dealing with the political prisoners, the RAF and
their supporters. ...

But already the first tangible statements fall short of the so
called "normality". They want to release only 8 of the 41
prisoners after an examination of their 'forecast'. Among them are
only 3 of the 5 unfit for imprisonment and two others that they
would have to release anyway a few month later.  The prisoners
themselves and their supporters however demand the immediate
release of all unfit for imprisonment and the release of ALL
political prisoners in the foreseeable future and until this the
coming together [?]. In addition they demand that the prisoners
are released without non-aggression declarations and without a
dissociation from their own political history.

In the meantime two prisoners unfit for imprisonment have been
released -- Claudia Wannersdorfer, who would have been set free
shortly afterwards anyway, and Ganther Sonnenberg, who was shot in
the head at his arrest 1977 and who still has not recovered from
his wound. His verification of his confinement was similar to an
inquisition. It was easy to see that an abjuration was demanded.
To those who now think that he did it, we would like to say: no,
he didn't do it. Nevertheless he was released, because his state
of health makes a participation in armed struggle impossible.

Besides three hearings after 2/3 of the sentence of political
prisoners that don't belong to, 8 chosen by Kinkel, took place.
One out of this three, Thomas Thoene, was released.

A special case is Bernd Roessner who is in prison for 17 years,
most of the time in solitary isolation. He is physically and
psychically ruined by the conditions of his imprisonment.  His
immediate release is question of life and death. Therefore an
expert, who had to examine his state of health, said that Roessner
on the one hand would represent a danger for society, but on the
other hand he is too ill to be released, so he suggested they put
him, whether he wants or not, into psychiatry. The decision
concerning his release is delayed on and on.

An important factor in this development is that on April 10th the
RAF published a letter, in which they announced a preliminary
ceasefire, in order to push forward the release of the political
prisoners and because they see their hitherto existing strategies
having failed and they need time to develop new perspectives for
themselves. This letter is discussed very controversially.

Since then the release is more and more becoming a public subject.
Many social groups make contributions and statements to ...
Nevertheless the conditions of isolation against the other
political prisoners are maintained and are even aggregated.  And
at the same time of this development the actual judicial inquiries
and additional inquiries against ex- or alleged RAF members are
continued or are instituted.

It should be clear for all that the state has not recently
discovered a humanitarian vein, but that the purpose of this
`initiative' is to reach the same aim by different means: The
disposal of the armed struggle and of the political prisoners
along with the supporters. The edge should be taken off the
struggle for the coming together respectively the release of the
political prisoners and thereby the movement should be decomposed
and pacified.

But their calculation will not prove right. A decomposition will
not take place. We will not keep quiet until ALL are free -- AND
THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING!!!!!!

We demand:

- THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF THE PRISONERS UNFIT FOR IMPRISONMENT:
  ISABEL JACOBS, ALI JANSEN AND BERND ROESSNER!!

- THE RELEASE OF ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS WITHIN A FORESEEABLE FUTURE
  AND WITHOUT ABJURATION!!

- IMMEDIATE COMING TOGETHER OF ALL NOT RELEASED AT ONCE!!

- NO NEW TRIALS AGAINST THE PRISONERS!!

- NO CRIMINALISATION OF SUPPORTING ACTIVITIES!!


(And the typist may be allowed to add one, too:
- Abolition of all prisons!!!)

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