Open letter to the Bavarian judiciary and all judges ⛓ Letter from prison

I am writing this letter from the Stadelheim prison, looking out my barred window at the barred windows opposite. Yesterday evening, September 01.09st. At around 23 p.m., I was already asleep, I was woken up, taken out of the cell and brought before the judge. The reason for this was that in the morning I protested peacefully against the fact that the federal government is breaking the Basic Law every day and is clearly steering us towards climate catastrophe. We have openly announced that we will continue our protest in Munich until at least October 01.10st. to continue. The judge ordered preventative detention until September 10.09th. to prevent us from taking part in these protests. I said that as soon as I was free again I would take part in the protests again.


Why is my protest on September 11.09th? legitimate, but not today? The judge couldn't give me an answer to this question. In Bavaria, judges are allowed to order preventative detention for up to 31 days. My judge didn't do that. But if she doesn't think it's right to support me for my protests on September 25th or 30.09th. then why is it right to lock me up until the 10th? I find their decision cowardly. Either she doesn't think it's okay to lock us up to prevent us from protesting. Then 10 days of preventative detention, 10 days of prison, simply 10 days are too much. Or she considers preventative detention to be a suitable means. Then from a legal perspective she would have had to order 31 days. She didn't do that because she doesn't seem to think it's right - thank God. However, preventive detention does not become more correct if it is ordered for a shorter period of time. They didn't have the courage to make the decision, they shirked it.


In 10 days I will protest again and then another judge will have to make the decision as to whether it is right to lock us up to prevent our protest. My protest is legitimate, but above all necessary. I will continue it, I will continue to protest, using all the non-violent means possible, against the federal government, which is breaking the Basic Law and destroying our livelihoods. The police officer who made the request for custody accused me of saying this was political. Of course it is political when politicians demand during the election campaign that protesting citizens be locked away. However, the court must decide independently of the election campaign. “Just like that” locking people away for 11 days in order to avoid making a decision, even if I can understand that the political pressure is high. And it's unfair, because for this cowardice I now have to spend 11 days looking out of barred windows into a cell whose door is tightly locked 22 hours a day and doesn't even have a door handle. 


I will continue to protest. Maybe the next judge will have more courage.

Love and Rage
Regina Stephen