| 162 organisations worldwide object to this repression by the Austrian state.
International solidarity is spreading ever wider. Almost every day we get reports of protest-demos outside Austrian embassies and also Austrian travel bureaux. Solidarity-marches and pickets are also on the agenda. Yesterday international support reached a new peak. Press releases were sent out in 32 different countries. The press release expresses serious concern about this case and was reinforced with a quotation from DDr. Martin Balluch:
"In recent years we have achieved a great deal for animals in Austria: a ban on fur-farms, battery-egg farms and wild animals in circuses and finally a ban on keeping farmed rabbits in cages. Are those who have worked hard for the world’s best animal-protection laws to be accused of all the unsolved damage to property cases connected with animal rights activity?
Prominent Voices Many prominent people have raised their voices against the state’s despotic conduct. The German author Dr. Karlheinz Deschner writes: " Once more animal protectors are criminalised, while Justice often ignores, indeed protects those who commit crimes against animals - miserable confinement, cruel transport, brutal killing and horrific vivisection. Where animals are concerned, man is a habitual criminal". University Professor Dr. Volker Sommer “Regardless of how one feels about animal rights, it is obvious that what is happening in this case is an attempt to obstruct and criminalise social activism generally. The way in which the law is being used makes it very easy to target anyone concerned with any form of social reform.” Link to full listing of statements from well known people and organisations Protests are continuing in Austria This morning there was a rally in front of the Ministry of Justice in Vienna. Under the slogan "Animal Protection Behind Bars" orange-suited activists sat in a large cage. Each activist held a picture, with personal details of one of the imprisoned campaigners. Campaigners who have acted for the weakest of our fellow-beings are themselves, equally innocent, having to endure the imprisonment which they so dearly wish to spare the animals.
The vehemence with which the State Prosecution are trying to criminalise animal-protection activity is quite unambiguously shown by their choice of words. Thus ordinary meetings become "recruiting camps" and discussion-meetings become "meetings of conspirators".
When will Austria wake up?
Only yesterday "Der Falter" newspaper reported a judicial scandal which exhibits a frightening similarity to the activity against the campaigners: A Frenchman in Austria on a visit was subjected to a house search and interviews in prison, he was suspected of having said things during phone conversations, the content of which had been incorrectly translated, and of making calls, which he had in fact never made. He was held on remand for a year and a half for alleged drug-trading of which he was innocent. "Dubious evidence, false translations and prosecutors who, failed to respond to new findings. In the case of Fatty, much went wrong” commented his solicitor Marko J. Peschi who has made serious accusations against the police and the Public Prosecutor’s office. | 
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