Solidarity with the Breton freedom activists!

international | rights, freedoms and repression | press release

Saturday October 18, 2008 19:14

by breton in Ireland

news in english about the repression in britanny against the independantist left wing movement

Stop the political and judicial harassment against Gael, Paskal and Kristian!

Solidarity with the Breton freedom activists!

During years 1999-2000 several tens of people were arrested, and sometimes put in jail, in the wake of the investigations concerning the attacks claimed or attributed to the Breton Revolutionary Army. A lot of them spent 4 or 5 years in prison, in preventive detention, waiting for a judgement. At the end of the judgement that took place in March 2004, some of them (Paskal Laizé and Christian Georgeault for instance) claimed to be part of this underground organisation and got convicted as a consequence. Others like Gaël Roblin got convicted for offences only, just for having been in touched with underground activists. Eventually, his prison sentence was smaller than the time he spent in jail. All of them had been acquitted of any direct or indirect participation in the Quévert bombing that killed a young employee in April 2000.

Kristian, Paskal and Gael are now free after having spent many years in prison. They took back their place in the Breton society. All observers (lawyers, journalists, people…) who attended the trial agreed on the fact that nothing could prove that they were involved in this act. Because of that, the court acquitted them from this fact (among other things).

For years, their indictment for this bombing was very helpful to dirty them and to justify their long preventive imprisonment. Ten days after the verdict, the general prosecution decided to appeal against this decision that was a true affront for him. However, the prosecution acted in hast and appealed against 3 of the acquitted and only for a part of the judged facts. This is the reason why the prosecution have been waiting, hesitating for four years before suing this people again for witchcraft and for the Quévert affair only !

The trial will take place in the special Assize Court in Paris from the 17th to the 28th of November.

Why such a harassment against these 3 activists?

For the French Republic attorney, this is all about erasing the humiliation he had after the acquittal of March 2004. This trial is in line with a general repression context in France for anything or anybody who would go again the "Sarkozy order".

Moreover, these 3 freedom activists have never disowned their convictions. They kept struggling for the right of the Breton people to decide for his future, they have been involved in several social and political mobilisations (included elections). They have also been involved in struggle against the slash of public services, against deregulation of the labour law, for the environment, and all anti-sarkozy struggles.

You may disagree with their political opinion, but we cannot stand still when these activists are facing years of jail for facts they have not done and when the prosecution seems to take liberty with the law.

This is why we are calling you to rally to this cause:

You can attend public meetings of the Gael, Paskal and Kristian support committees in your town or region

You can come to the demonstration that will take place on the 15th of November in Rennes. The watchword will be:" Stop the harassment against Gael, Kristian and Paskal! Abolition of the antiterrorist laws!" Let us know if your organisation is planning to participate.

You can make a donation to Skoazell Vreizh (Breton Rescue). This organisation has been financially helping since 1969 the Breton activists who struggle for the Breton people rights.

Rennes, Brittany, the 10th of October 2008

Gael, Kristian and Paskal support committee

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Solidarity with the Breton freedom activists!