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Great news! All charges dropped for Simon Chapman and another 12 protestors!

antonymous | 13.02.2004 15:00 | World

Just came up on Athens IMC, following is a rough translation

Simon Chapman and another 12 people charged in connection to their participation to the June demos in Thessaloniki are having ALL their CHARGES DROPPED, according to the decision of the Court of Thessaloniki, an hour ago. Another 6 of the (29 in total) are only charged with misdemeanours; for all the rest the court asked the investigation to continue, due to the gaps and contradictions in the evidence against them!!!

The decision of the Court of Thessaloniki regarding the events of June in Thessaloniki was published today. The Court, comprising of three judges, accepted most of the defendants' claims and has dropped the charges for thirteen of them, including Simon Chapman. Another six defendants, including the Spanish ex-hunger striker Carlos, are going to be charged with misdemeanours. For the other 8 defendants the court ordered the investigation to continue, as it spotted many gaps and contradictions in the statements of policemen and a lack of other evidence. This is a justification for the hunger strikers' struggle and for all of those who were claiming the charges were set up by the authorities.

LEGAL TEAM 2003

antonymous
Homepage: http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=188043

Comments

Hide the following 10 comments

well done everyone!

13.02.2004 15:37

Well done to everyone who has worked on the solidarity for simon and the others. The whole sorry story has been a lesson for me in solidarity. We must keep an eye on proceedings though for the others who will still stand accused of misdemeaners.

I know it shouldn't, but the extent to which the authorities and police frame people and fabricate evidence never ceases to amaze me.

Thanks also to all of the IMC's around the world and the uk crew for their work and support. See the indymedia uk solidarity page here:

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2003/09/278180.html

pete

Keep on fighting

13.02.2004 15:48

this is great news for some of us.

but of the 29 charged as a result of the 21 june insurrection, there remain many brothers and sisters under charges.

the actions and benefits MUST continue: ANYONE could have been fucked the way we were. ANYONE could be prisoners, or have their freedom curtailed.

ACTIONS & BENEFITS must continue with the objective of allowing our spanish brothers - Carlos & Fernando - to return home before the state-orchestrated "trial".

ACTIONS must continue to speak of international solidarity with ALL of the accused of 21 June. For me, this is my duty when i return to britland.

My freedom means nothing without the freedom of my brothers and sisters.

The struggle continues....

simon c
Homepage: http://www.wombles.org.uk

congratulations!

13.02.2004 16:04

we'll be smashing plates for the right reason tonight!

smasher
Homepage: http://www.mydadsstripclub.com/hungerpicnic.htm

Wonderful

13.02.2004 19:00

This is Great news. Congrats to Simon and the others. Well done to his legal team.

Whilst mindful of the others still on charges as per posting above I hope there will

be a huge party to celebrate Simon's return home....

Greenlantern

yes!!!!

14.02.2004 06:00

Hey everyone,

Im so bloody happy to hear this news, seriously!!!! I've just come home from the pub, thought Id check indy to see wots up and see something as wonderful as this?!?! Made my night!!!! Massive congratulations to simon and all the others, and everyone who joined in the solidarity campaign. Wots more, I'd like to say especially to simon, massive respect for ur attitude, like you and a few others have sed; there are stil people on charges and we must get them off and out free! But we know we will!!!! Yeah!!!!!!! Im so relieved!

Cheers people, see ya on the street!!!
Love and rage,
Stu.

stu
mail e-mail: stuartmelvin2@hotmail.com

From Portugal

14.02.2004 13:35

From Portugal the only thing that we can say is that this is a relief for many people in here that follow the whole case from the start. The portuguese imc followed the events during the whole process and its a realy great hope to see that our passion for freedom is stronger than their walls! Congratulation for those that did never stop the fighting for justice! And that the strugle continues with signs of hope.
Health and freedom from Portugal to everyone!

Zampano
mail e-mail: zampano13@hotmail.com
Homepage: http://www.pt.indymedia.org

For the Good of Police Everywhere

15.02.2004 11:19

It is important, for the good name of the Law, and for the reputaion of Police everywhere that Policemen who fake evidence be identified and prosecuted by their own co-workers, and by the legal system they uphold.

Ilyan

quick question on numbers....

18.02.2004 14:24

just a quick question on numbers...... i have heard and read conflicting reports about the number of people charged in thess....sometimes i read that it was 27, sometimes 29..... does anyone know which is it?? and if it's actually 29 in total, as this article claims, then the numbers in this article don't add up: if 13 had their charges dropped, and 6 had their charges lowered, and 8 more are still under review-- 13 + 6 + 8 = 27..... so what happened to #28 and #29??...... i was in thess. and i still can't figure it out!! anyone less mystified by these maths than me care to clear this up??

mathmatically challenged

numbers

19.02.2004 01:32

2 of the 29 are minors, so their case has been separated. They will go to trial eventualy but separately from the other 27. They both have misdemeanour charges.

@ math formula

Any Resultant Legal Action?

19.02.2004 17:35

In this case, legal action against the related authorities is IMPERATIVE.

A serious pattern of repression against dissent has emerged, whereby the police make arrests in the name of clearing streets and stifling dissent, and the charges are later dropped.

We must hold those responsible parties to account, to teach them that violations of the law will be met with consequences.

Solidarity and goodwill from Canada!!

Imperative To Address Pattern Of Repression

UK Indymedia