Call for comment
Berlin, June 05.03.2024, 8, 00:XNUMX a.m - The Proceedings for forming a criminal organization the Neuruppin public prosecutor's office against 5 supporters of the last generation takes on concrete features. Repeatedly the announced period in which charges were to be brought passed without incident. Now the accused's lawyers received mail from the public prosecutor's office with the Request to comment on the planned indictment.
The alliance “People against oil” takes this as an opportunity to call on civil society to comment. This was done on the Alliance website published a form today.
As early as December 2022, there were hundreds at the Neuruppin public prosecutor's office Self-disclosure from people who professed to support the Last Generation or its goals and were therefore presumably part of the same “criminal organization”.
The 5 accused took part in different protests in Brandenburg in 2022 and 2023. should be charged Mirjam Herrmann (26), Henning Jeschke (24), Lukas Popp (25), Jakob Beyer (30) and Edmund Schultz (60), but not for their specific protests - stopping air traffic, closing pipelines and interrupting everyday life - but for the collective action that Working together in the midst of climate catastrophe.
Germany is receiving international criticism for its drastic action against peaceful climate protests.
The campaign “People against oil” provides information about the ongoing proceedings and draws attention to the serious consequences for civil society engagement that this entails. Legal experts and supporters of the climate justice movement alike gather under the name. The alliance was initiated by Association for Support for an Active Civil Society (RAZ eViG), which accompanies the legal proceedings of the Last Generation. The campaign is a contact point for everyone who shares concerns about the restrictions and threats to democratic freedoms and wants to take action.
For further information on the statement form, the procedure and its importance for our democratic coexistence, please send this email press release from “People against oil” attached.
Press release from January 04.03.2024th, XNUMX:
People against oil – criminal organization: call for comments
– Criminalization and stigmatization of climate protest
“Danger to human rights and democracy” -
The Neuruppin public prosecutor's office has been announcing for months that it will 5 supporters of the last generation wanting to bring charges.
You are accused of Part of a criminal organization to be. This is used here Paragraph 129 StGB, which is actually intended to combat organized crime. Instead of the name “Mafia paragraph” To do justice, it is being used for the first time in the “fight” against non-violently protesting climate activists.
Now the accused's lawyers received mail from the public prosecutor's office with a request to do so within four weeks to comment on the allegations.
Under peopleagainstoil.org Civil society is now called upon to take a position.
The German government is allowing the climate catastrophe to escalate in complicity with this country's fossil fuel companies. Supporters of the last generation are opposing this, have turned off oil pipelines, stopped air traffic and interrupted everyday life. Including Mirjam Herrmann (26), Henning Jeschke (24), Lukas Popp (25), Jakob Beyer (30) and Edmund Schultz (60).
Now they should be charged. Not for their specific acts of civil courage - stopping air traffic, closing pipelines and interrupting everyday life - but because they joined forces with many others to bring about change during the crisis.
The drastic action against climate activists has come under great criticism: Green Legal Impact, The German Institute for Human Rights, The international organizations Amnesty International and Civicus and many other organizations and experts are concerned.
The consequences of the proceedings do not only affect the accused. The investigations in the 129 procedure ensure that Climate activism is associated with organized crime and is therefore stigmatized becomes. This deters people from exercising their right to protest and express their opinions.
Michael Forst, UN Special Rapporteur for the protection of environmentalists, stated at the end of 2023 with regard to Germany's handling of peaceful protest:
“I think what worries governments, what leads them to classify climate movements like in Germany as criminal organizations, is not so much the supposed illegality of their activities […] but the Range of her voice. It is the fact that they are audible, heard and noticed.”
He be “Deeply concerned, such a thing Erosion of civil society space and threats against environmentalists in Europe and also in Germany.” [1]
In a current report from February 2024 he reinforces this "great danger to human rights and democracy" and emphasizes: “Instead of criminalizing environmental activists, governments should address the causes of their mobilization.” [2]
Zoë Ruge, co-founder of RAZ eViG [3] explains: “Protest and expression of opinion, even if it is disruptive, are existential components of a living democracy and are indispensable for it.
Peaceful climate protest is vital! Investigations in accordance with Section 129 of the Criminal Code in this context and associated measures, such as house searches, confiscating the Last Generation website or tapping the press telephone clear border crossings, which shake the foundations of our democracy.”
She continues: “Section 129 of the Criminal Code is being used to suppress peaceful protest and to distract from the federal government's climate policy failure and the actual danger. That's scary. But this society must not and will not allow itself to be deterred from raising its voice.
We stand up for justice, democracy and humanity. We are all together People against oil – All those who do not want to leave their fate to those who destroy it. Everyone who stands behind the constitutional protection of our lives and does not want to let fossil companies and the government get away with their profit and power interests.”
The Neuruppin public prosecutor's office is now taking the final steps to charge 5 people with forming a criminal organization. The defendants' lawyers have received the complete files and now have four weeks to comment on this. On March 28.3th the deadline expires, then the charges are passed on to the court and sent to those affected.
On People Against Oil website There is now the opportunity as part of the civilian population - and therefore also those affected in the future - to comment on the planned indictment. The completed forms are then sent directly to the Neuruppin public prosecutor's office and must be read by the public prosecutor's office and the court as part of the file.
The impact of such social rebellion should not be underestimated. The Decision of the court in the process hangs also strong due to the broad scope of Section 129 of the Criminal Code depends on public opinion on the subject. An active civil society can have a say in the discourse and thus influence how and whether peaceful protest is punished for the survival of all of us.
[1] Green Legal Spaces 2023
[2] UNSR_EnvDefenders_Aarhus_Position_Paper_Civil_Disobedience_EN.pdf (unece.org)
[3] RAZ – Support for an active civil society eV (raz-ev.org)
Contact and further information
Website: peopleagainstoil.org
Instagram: People against oil (@menschen.gegen.oel)
E-Mail: [email protected]
For Press inquiries, which concern the last generation, please contact: [email protected]