GM WATCH COMMENT: This victory is great news but it's not the only case of judicial persecution of the anti-GM movement in Catalonia, Spain.
Josep Pamies, from Assemblea Pagesa of Catalunya (the Catalonian Farmers' Assembly), is being threatened with a 4-year jail sentence and a fine of 50,000 euros for his alleged involvement in events back in September 2003. There is still no date for Josep's trial.
Plataforma Transgenics Fora see Josep and Albert's cases as part of a strategy of criminalisation and repression of the organized opposition to the imposition of GM crops in Catalonia.
They contrast the Catalan Government's aggresive pursuit of anti-GM campaigners with their policy of fait accompli in relation to GM contamination of conventional and organic crops and their total failure to provide any monitoring and control of this problem. Indeed, Plataforma Transgenics Fora accuse the Catalan Government of systematically seeking to hide the problem.
For a related video (not in English):
http://www.ecologistasenaccion.org/article.php3?id_article=6020
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1.Albert Ferre acquitted!
(rough translation - for original see below)
A Judge in Lleida (a city in the west of Catalonia) has acquitted Albert Ferre. Albert was facing a fine of around 500,000 euros for the destruction in July 2004 of a GM wheat trial site located in Gimenells (Lleida, Catalonia), which belonged to the IRTA, a public entity linked to the Catalan Government. The verdict recognises the lack of proof of the prosecution and also Albert's right to the presumption of innocence.
The trial took place on the 19th of October. It was marked by parallel activities and demonstrations of support and solidarity involving the participation of Catalan and Spanish organisations, as well as various anti-GMO organisations from France and other European countries.
This was the first trial in Spain against an anti-GMO activist, with the purpose, not achieved, of criminalising and repressing the growing Catalan movement against GMOs.
The "Plataforma Transgenics fora" is delighted by the verdict, is grateful for all the expressions of support and solidarity it has received, and is committing itself, still further, to the struggle to eliminate transgenic crops from Catalonia.
Neither in Catalonia nor elsewhere on the planet!!
No to GMOs!!
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2.Albert Ferre acquitte!
http://www.monde-solidaire.org/spip/article.php3?id_article=3535
La juge de Lleida a acquitte a Albert Ferre de l'accusation de dommage (demande de peines de 500.000 euros) pour le fauchage au Juillet du 2004 d'un champ d'experimentation de ble ogm a la ville de Gimenells (Lleida), propriete de l'IRTA, institut de recherche agricole catalane, lie au gouvernement de la Catalogne. La sentence d'acquittement reconnaît la manque de preuves de l'accusation et le droit a la presomption d'innocence d'Albert.
(voir Manifestation de protestation contre les proces de Lerida, Journee de soutien aux inculpés de Lerida, Journee de soutien a Albert Ferré)
Le proces a eu lieu le 19 Octobre avec diverses activites de soutien et la mobilisation d'organisations catalanes et espagnoles et aussi avec une representation des faucheurs volontaires, de la Confederation paysanne et d'Inf'Ogm. Il s'agissait du premier proces en Espagne contre un militant anti-ogm avec le but (echoue) de criminaliser et reprimer le croissant mouvement catalan contre les ogms.
La Plataforma Transgenics Fora se felicite du verdict, remercie tous les appuis et collaborations de solidarite reçus et s'engage encore plus dans la lutte pour eliminer les ogms de Catalogne.
Ni en Catalogne ni ailleurs sur la planete !!
Non aux ogms!!