From gipfelsoli-l at lists.nadir.org  Mon Jan 16 10:39:35 2006
From: gipfelsoli-l at lists.nadir.org (gipfelsoli-l@lists.nadir.org)
Date: Mon Jan 16 10:39:46 2006
Subject: [gipfelsoli] Evian
Message-ID: <20060116103935.fq5b8gq9hs0wks0s@webmail.nadir.org>

Legal summary:

Police in court after nearly killing two activists during the 2003 G8 protests
in Evian

On the 13th, 14th, 15th of February 2006 a court case against two Swiss police
officers will take place in Nyon, Switzerland. They are charged with causing
bodily harm through negligence. The activists had tried to have them charged
with endangering life, severe bodily harm and non-assistance in distress. The
lawyer for the activists has now submitted an official request to increase the
charges to endangering life.

During the G8-protests in 2003, Michael Deiss cut the climbing rope of two
activists who were blocking the Aubonne Bridge, nearly causing both their
deaths and seriously injuring one of them. His senior officer, Claude Poget,
had created the chaotic conditions at the scene that made this act possible.
The injured climber was in hospital in Switzerland for a month and sustained
irreversible injuries. Many solidarity actions and campaigning took place after
the incident in June 2003 and again around the court case AGAINST the activists
in May 2004. The case gained a lot of national and international media
attention.

At the trial in 2004 the activists were found guilty of blocking the road and
endangering the lives of the drivers. Shortly afterwards the investigating
judge decided to effectively drop the case against the police. Only after an
appeal and a great deal of public pressure did the high court overturn his
decision and allow for the case to go ahead.

The court case against the police will be decided by the same judge who gave the
activists suspended prison sentences, Jaques Antenen. If the charges against the
 police are proven, there will only be minor penalties, like fines or short
sentences on probation. Given the history of police impunity in Switzerland, it
seems unlikely that they will be found guilty. The Aubonne Bridge campaign from
the very beginning has  demanded the suspension of the two police officers
involved, an independent investigation into the repression that took place
during the G8 and compensation for those who were  seriously injured.  Until
now the Canton de Vaud has refused to pay compensation, but this will now be
dependent on the outcome of the court case.

During the court case in February, several witnesses and activists from the
bridge and several police officers will testify.

[aubonne@no-log.org]
