I’m just back from a trip to Germany to visit one of my closest friends, Daniel, who’s been held in solitary confinement 23h a day for the past ten months in a 2 × 5m cell.
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It’s hard to capture the disposition of the judge but “dismissive, belittling, and demonstrating a complete disregard for any semblance of a fair trial” start to come close.
The kind of person who would laugh at the hardship she has just caused, then roll her eyes and complain that she doesn’t get what all the fuss is about.
Repeatedly.
A delegation of Irish politicians also attended on Wednesday and were outraged by the lack of records and themselves were not allowed to bring in pen and paper. I truly hope they can put pressure on the German government or the EU to do *something* about how this entire case is being handled.
I’m no lawyer but it seems blatantly obvious that multiple human rights have been violated here.
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They request access to phone calls while in prison, and are denied.
They ask for handcuffs to be removed while in transit in police vehicles (and their ankles remain cuffed), for some of them up to three hours from their respective prisons to the court, and are denied.
They ask for an independent stenographer and a courtroom sketch artist, and are denied.
It’s hard to capture the disposition of the judge but “dismissive, belittling, and demonstrating a complete disregard for any semblance of a fair trial” start to come close.
The kind of person who would laugh at the hardship she has just caused, then roll her eyes and complain that she doesn’t get what all the fuss is about.
Repeatedly.
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A delegation of Irish politicians also attended on Wednesday and were outraged by the lack of records and themselves were not allowed to bring in pen and paper. I truly hope they can put pressure on the German government or the EU to do *something* about how this entire case is being handled.
I’m no lawyer but it seems blatantly obvious that multiple human rights have been violated here.
I grew up with a love of Star Wars and superheroes, the contemporary morality plays that teach you when to stand up for the defenceless, when to resist oppressive regimes. Andor showed, to widespread acclaim, the impact that a brave few can achieve when they’re willing to sacrifice everything. I gather than religious texts occasionally covers similar themes.
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It feels reductive to draw comparison to what is essentially children’s entertainment, but if you’ve ever wondered “what would I do in this situation?” I hope you have even a fraction of the courage of the Ulm 5.
If at this point, you still believe that Israel is justified in killing civilians and children, denying aid and medicine, demolishing hospitals, murdering journalists, and raping activists, I really don’t know what to say. But if you find yourself on that side of history, I hope that you can still see that Daniel and the others acted purely in defence of vulnerable people in a situation beyond desperate.
If that’s not heroism, I don’t know what is.
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If at this point, you still believe that Israel is justified in killing civilians and children, denying aid and medicine, demolishing hospitals, murdering journalists, and raping activists, I really don’t know what to say. But if you find yourself on that side of history, I hope that you can still see that Daniel and the others acted purely in defence of vulnerable people in a situation beyond desperate.
If that’s not heroism, I don’t know what is.
I’ve spent these past few days dancing between seething rage at the justice system, profound admiration for my friend their co-defendants, and intense gratitude for the community of activists and volunteers who are fight for justice.
More than anything else though, I just fucking miss my friend.
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I grew up with a love of Star Wars and superheroes, the contemporary morality plays that teach you when to stand up for the defenceless, when to resist oppressive regimes. Andor showed, to widespread acclaim, the impact that a brave few can achieve when they’re willing to sacrifice everything. I gather than religious texts occasionally covers similar themes.
It feels reductive to draw comparison to what is essentially children’s entertainment, but if you’ve ever wondered “what would I do in this situation?” I hope you have even a fraction of the courage of the Ulm 5.
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I’ve spent these past few days dancing between seething rage at the justice system, profound admiration for my friend their co-defendants, and intense gratitude for the community of activists and volunteers who are fight for justice.
More than anything else though, I just fucking miss my friend.
@BenRiceM absolute disgrace. Nobody died or was hurt so what on earth they’re treating them like this for is beyond me. Disgraceful
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Daniel and their co-defendants (the Ulm 5) are separated from their legal teams by a wall of bulletproof glass and they cannot communicate effectively. They have to use microphones, which seem to cut out frequently, or speak through a grill in the wall. And they must juggle listening to the lawyers, the judge, and translators simultaneously.
Every day in court, the 5 request that they be allowed sit with their lawyers and every day, the judge denies their requests.
@BenRiceM
No justice at all -
I’ve spent these past few days dancing between seething rage at the justice system, profound admiration for my friend their co-defendants, and intense gratitude for the community of activists and volunteers who are fight for justice.
More than anything else though, I just fucking miss my friend.
@BenRiceM I am part of a group of people who send letters to the prisoners around the world. Do you know if there is a way to write to Daniel and the Ulm5?
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I’m just back from a trip to Germany to visit one of my closest friends, Daniel, who’s been held in solitary confinement 23h a day for the past ten months in a 2 × 5m cell.
They get one hour of visitation per month.
@BenRiceM thank you for sharing this. Actions like theirs are not in vain. Their heroism inspires and gives a reason for all of us to try harder. I wish and hope Daniel and the rest of the team will be given at least some of their rights back. I hope they will be released.
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I’ve spent these past few days dancing between seething rage at the justice system, profound admiration for my friend their co-defendants, and intense gratitude for the community of activists and volunteers who are fight for justice.
More than anything else though, I just fucking miss my friend.
@BenRiceM Sending you, Daniel, and the rest of these heroes all my love and solidarity.
In the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
And those on the wrong side of history today will pay for their crimes. It is up to each one of us to make sure of it.
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P pelle@veganism.social shared this topic
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I’ve spent these past few days dancing between seething rage at the justice system, profound admiration for my friend their co-defendants, and intense gratitude for the community of activists and volunteers who are fight for justice.
More than anything else though, I just fucking miss my friend.
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If at this point, you still believe that Israel is justified in killing civilians and children, denying aid and medicine, demolishing hospitals, murdering journalists, and raping activists, I really don’t know what to say. But if you find yourself on that side of history, I hope that you can still see that Daniel and the others acted purely in defence of vulnerable people in a situation beyond desperate.
If that’s not heroism, I don’t know what is.
@BenRiceM amen
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I’ve spent these past few days dancing between seething rage at the justice system, profound admiration for my friend their co-defendants, and intense gratitude for the community of activists and volunteers who are fight for justice.
More than anything else though, I just fucking miss my friend.
@BenRiceM The EU has strong values, its basic principles and ideals I have always loved. I just wish our leaders did the same. This is an utter disgrace, but it happening in Germany and being largely ignored by our politicians and our media comes with little surprise. It might end up at the ECHR at some point, frankly while imperfect they seem to have a clearer understanding of basic rights and the right to protest - especially when protest is so urgently needed.
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I’m just back from a trip to Germany to visit one of my closest friends, Daniel, who’s been held in solitary confinement 23h a day for the past ten months in a 2 × 5m cell.
They get one hour of visitation per month.
@BenRiceM Regards from Spain. These are the fighters that we will remember for their fight against war profiters and for peace.
#weareallpalestineaction #shutdownelbit -
@BenRiceM Sending you, Daniel, and the rest of these heroes all my love and solidarity.
In the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
And those on the wrong side of history today will pay for their crimes. It is up to each one of us to make sure of it.
@aral Thanks Aral, I know how much time and energy you’ve been putting into all of this over the last few years.
Spreading some awareness feels like the least I can do
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I’ve spent these past few days dancing between seething rage at the justice system, profound admiration for my friend their co-defendants, and intense gratitude for the community of activists and volunteers who are fight for justice.
More than anything else though, I just fucking miss my friend.
@BenRiceM I’m so sorry, I have no words, that’s horrendous. Thank you for sharing.
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I’m just back from a trip to Germany to visit one of my closest friends, Daniel, who’s been held in solitary confinement 23h a day for the past ten months in a 2 × 5m cell.
They get one hour of visitation per month.
@BenRiceM A torture practice that results in irreversible neurological damage, yet the torturers are spared the act of beating the torturers personally.
To those who know, the parallel draws itself. The fact that it’s done as a way to discourage actions against genocide only drives the point further…
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I’ve spent these past few days dancing between seething rage at the justice system, profound admiration for my friend their co-defendants, and intense gratitude for the community of activists and volunteers who are fight for justice.
More than anything else though, I just fucking miss my friend.
@BenRiceM This was a wonderful thread.
How the German "justice" system treats the Ulm 5 is multiple human rights violations and a disgrace. I have no good words to say about the judge.
I'm angry about the blatant disregard of a fair trial and the shamelessness and impunity. I can only begin to feel how you feel for your friend.
Showing you my solidarity with this post. 🫂
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Daniel and the other defendants (the Ulm 5) broke into a building of Elbit Systems, an Israeli weapons manufacturer to destroy equipment there in the hopes of preventing some small amount of the genocide taking place in Palestine. Only property damage occurred, no people were harmed or threatened and the 5 voluntarily waited to be peacefully arrested.
I believe on Wednesday, Zo, one of the 5, said something to the effect of “this would all be worthwhile if we manage to save one child’s life”
@BenRiceM I did not know of this case, hasn't been in the news in Belgium or I missed it. This is outrageous, violating the rights of young people with ideals in such a way. I hope justice and common sense will prevail, soon. Thank you for sharing this.
