Brutal arrests in Austria and Empatia’s response

Warsaw, 3 June 2008

Mr. Ambassador Alfred Längle
Embassy of Austria in Poland
ul. Gagarina 34
00-748 Warszawa

Dear Mr. Ambassador,

We turn to you with reference to the arrests in Austria of a group of people involved in pro-animal activism. On 21 May 2008, at dawn, Austrian anti-terrorist squads brutally invaded 24 apartments and made arrests of people belonging to 7 animal right organisations. Dr Martin Balluch, president of Verein Gegen Tierfabriken is one of the detainees. The organisations’ computers, mobile phones and documents - result of years’ work - were confiscated. Seven of the detainees went on hunger strike to protest against unjustified use of violence, detaining people without bringing charges against them and finally against denying the activists’ lawyers access to documentation.

Being members of a non-governmental organisation whose statutory activity is protection of animals and being members of the European Union, we are terrified and outraged by such conduct. It includes several counts of violation of human rights under the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, a document signed also by Austria. Such treatment of citizens is completely incomprehensible especially that it is taking place in a country like Austria, located in the middle of democratic Europe and considered to be progressive in terms of animal protection. There have been protests in many towns in Austria, Germany, Sweden and elsewhere attended by people who are as outraged by the events in Austria as we are.

We hereby appeal to you to intervene in this case. Human rights of the activists were undoubtedly violated, innocent people were brutally deprived of their freedom. It also seems that it may be an attempt to violate freedom of speech of people protecting the weakest beings, i.e. animals.

Yours sincerely,

Dariusz Gzyra
Empatia Association