August 2, 2000

Czechoslovak Anarchist News-Service
provided by Federation of Social Anarchists
Czechoslovak section of International Workers Association
Report 019/2000

Monster trial against group of 10 anarchists/antifascists - still no end

Prague - August 1st 2000 - Another round of monster trial against group of 10 Czech anarchists - revolutionary antifascists in Zlin (major city in Eastern part of country) has not ended yet, on the contrary what have been expected.

So called Zlin trial, which is a prolonged legal and political battle between Czech state and anarchist/antifascist movement, started as early as in April 1998, when group of local anarchists/antifascists violently repulsed attack of 12 naziskinheads, organised in so called "Patriotic Front", extreme nationalist and fascist organisation, leaving one of the nazis heavilly wounded. Police hastened to the scene, rounded up all well known local anarchists and constructed monster case when "group of dangerous extremists attacked the group of innocent citizens." All comrades were given charge of "heavy health injury, commited in organised group under ideological pretext" (A7 222 of Penal Law), for which they can ge given 10 years sentence. One of the defendants is David Srott, age 22, metalworker, dedicated anarchist militant from Otrokovice, FSA-IWA member. He is common target of Police persecution, see our reports about violent Police dispersal of 1st May anarchist demonstration in Prague 2000, when David Srott was for no reason attacked by riot troopers, violently abused and arrested.

On August the 1st sentences were expected to be pronounced. New lawyer of David Srott (the old one resigned three weeks ago he judged the case to be hopelessly prejudiced and manufactured by Police) proved himself very able and defended our comrade very well. In the situation difficult for State Prosecutor, she anounced that she has at her disposal two complete new witness reports, which are of course coming from local naziskinheads. These two new "witnesses", who somehow miraculously after more than two years "remember that they were present on the place of incident and watched closely persons, who were attacking some normal guys", were of course carefully prepared by State prosecutor and Police.

The probably last hearing was postponed to September 5th. The situation of our comrades is again very bad, but we can see again that powerful combination of international anarchist protest and pressure and activity of good defence councels, paid by CZ Anarchist Black Cross group (intergral part of FSA-IWA), is serious threat and obstacle for repressive plans of Czech state forces.

CZ Anarchist Black Cross is covering expenses for David Srott legal defense, because he as all ordinary anarchists -workers, cannot afford to do so. Costs of legal defense in this case, covered by CZ ABC, climbed today over 2000,- USD. Great part of it comes from international solidarity.

We send brotherly anarchist greetings to organisations, who recently contributed to defence of Zlin comrades:
- Anti-racist Action, Ottawa, Canada
- Confederation Nationale du Travail, French section of International Workers Association

What you can do:

- send letters of protest to your local Czech consulate or embassy. Demand dropping of charges against David Srott and his nine co-defendants, charged by "heavy health injury, commited in organised group under ideological pretext." Demand that the State prosecutor and judge cease to protect and cover the fascist political identity of "victims". Protest against the fact that this case is conducted in very common and almost obvious manner of Czech police and courts denying existence of political identity of organised neonazis.

- send donations to CZ ABC Defense Fund

- spread this information worldwide - write articles for your local anarchist press.

- became subscriber of CZ ABC English-language information bulletin

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Federation of Social Anarchists
International secretariat
PO BOX 5, 15006 Praha 56, Czech republic
e-mail: intersec@atlas.cz, tel: *420-0604-773440

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