Activists from all over Europe in hunger strike
As the review of remand in custody for the arrested anti-imperialists is coming closer, the support committee “Free them now” has stepped up public protests.
On one of the main squares of Perugia a Guantanamo cell has been built hosting inmates with red jackets and hoods. About a dozen activists from several European countries and Turkey have joined the hunger strike.
Beside there is a tent informing about the human, social and national rights situation in Turkey. Passer-bys are invited to watch videos and an exhibition on the political prisoners and torture being commonly applied in Turkey. While the indictment sustains that the accused tried to subvert a “democratic and pluralistic state”, evidence is being provided about the genocide committed against the Kurdish people and on the anti-democratic character of the regime where the generals still pull the strings.
Beside the demand to immediately free the five arrested anti-imperialists the protest is directed against the guantanamisation of the world by the war of the US empire. Banners read that “resistance is not terrorism” and ask for the immediate withdrawal of the Italian troops from Iraq.
On April 21 the police tried to ban and remove the replica of the Guantanamo cell. A delegation to the mayor pointing out that this would be another clear violation of the right to free expression eventually achieved that the protest can continue.
Meanwhile there appeared rumours that Moreno Pasquinelli – contrary to the four other accused – will not be allowed to be present in front of the court hearing scheduled for April 23 which will decide on their custody. The advocates are investigating whether this is another violation of the judicial procedure. In any case it is another sign of the excitement of the authorities who still did not lift the isolation regime imposed on the two male detainees.
