MINELRES: UNITED: Call for Justice: Press release by participants of the UNITED conference 'Europe All Inclusive? Minorities at the Edge of Society'

[minelres@lists.microlink.lv]

Original sender: UNITED <notreply@unitedagainstracism.org>


Dear Friends,

please find below a press release by participants of the UNITED
conference 'Europe All Inclusive? Minorities at the Edge of Society'
hold between 11-16 May 2010 in Budapest Hungary where organisations from
33 European countries were represented. 

****************************

UNITED PRESS RELEASE 28/05/2010: Call for Justice

Jock Palfreeman is a 23 year old Australian citizen who, before his
arrest in Bulgaria, was a trainee soldier in the British Army. 

Jock was arrested following an incident in which he had attempted to
defend two Roma people who were being attacked by a group of men in an
alleged racist attack, late at night near a metro station in the
Bulgarian capital, Sofia, shortly before Christmas 2007.

As a result of the incident in which one of the attackers was stabbed to
death, Jock has been tried and convicted for murder. For this, he has
been given a twenty years prison sentence but has leave to appeal. 

The full details of the case remain unclear because the entire procedure
of the trial has lacked transparency and the denial of witness testimony
has been to such an extent that not only Bulgarian law but also natural
law appear to have been violated. 

According to the basic principle of most legal systems in the democratic
world, that one is innocent until proven guilty beyond all reasonable
doubt, both the prosecution of Jock's case and the resulting verdict
appear to have been unsafe and unfair. Justice has neither been done
nor, even more importantly, been seen to be done. Jock has been denied
the elementary requirements of a proper legal defence and, thus, a fair
trial. 

As human rights activists from thirty-three European countries, we call
for a retrial of Jock's case in which he will be given the full right to
judicial transparency and a full and proper legal representation,
including the right to subpoena witnesses both friendly and hostile to
face the normal practice of cross-examination. Additionally, we call
upon the Bulgarian justice authorities to grant Jock the right to full
bail so that he can properly prepare a case for his defence.
Until Jock is provided with these elementary legal and human rights, his
trial and conviction cannot be seen in any way as an expression of
justice of any kind. 

UNITED for Intercultural Action, meeting in Budapest from 11 May to 16
May 2010 expresses its full solidarity with Jock and his family and
their efforts to prove his innocence and secure his early release.

for more information see: http://www.freejock.net

***********************************************************

UNITED is the pan-European network against nationalism, racism, fascism
and in support of migrants and refugees, supported by over 560
organisations in 46 European countries. How to join the network: see
www.unitedagainstracism.org 'joining the network'

----

We depend on YOUR help!

UNITED is not rich and has no stable income !
Though far most of the work at the UNITED secretariat is done voluntary
- still money is needed to keep the network functioning and to secure
the cooperation and information flow throughout Europe.

Your donation is most welcome:
- in cash to UNITED Postbus 413 NL-1000 AK Amsterdam
- by bank (preferable) to:
UNITED, Postbus 413 NL-1000 AK Amsterdam
Account IBAN: NL28 INGB 0002343715, BIC: INGBNL2A - Bank: ING Bank
Amsterdam, Postbus 1800, NL-1000 BV Amsterdam
(>From NL: ING Bank 2343715)

----

Since 1992 financial support has been received from various sponsors
such as: Council of Europe (European Youth Foundation/European Youth
Centres), European Commission (General Budget/Socrates/Grundtvig/Youth
in Action Programme/DG Employment Social Affairs/ TACIS IBPP),
OSCE-ODIHR, Heinrich-Boll-Stiftung, World Council of Churches, Olof
Palmes MinnesFond, Cultural Council Sweden, Ministry of Education
Slovenia, Green Group-, Socialist Group-, and GUE/NGL Group in the
European Parliament, European Cultural Foundation, Stiftung
West-Ostliche Begegnung, Aktionsbundnis Gegen Gewalt, Rechtextremismus
und Fremdenfeindlichkeit Brandenburg, Home Office UK, Ministry of
Interior-BZK NL, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs CH, Ministry
Foreign Affairs-BUZA NL, Vuurwerk Internet, Instituto Portugues da
Juventude, National Integration Office Sweden, Service Nationale de la
Jeunesse Luxembourg, LNU - Norwegian Youth Council, Europees Platform
Grundtvig, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Youth Board of Cyprus, Federal
Social Insurance Office (Dep. for Youth Affairs) CH, Swiss Coordination
Office of Youth for Europe, Federal Service for Combating Racism (Fund
for Projects Against Racism) CH, Migros Kulturprozent CH, Comunidad de
Madrid, Ministry of Youth and Sport of Azerbaijan, The Swedish National
Board of Youth Affairs, Rothschild Foundation, Final Frontiers Internet,
Dijkman Offset and others.

The information contained herein does not necessarily reflect the
position nor the opinion of our sponsors. Sponsors are not to be held
responsible for any use that may be made of it.

----

UNITED E-NEWS is an irregular email service to over 10000 organisations
and contact persons active in the working fields: anti-racism, refugee
support, anti-fascism, against antisemitism, migration, minority issues,
intercultural youth work, against nationalism etc.

Regular postal mailings, containing publications such as Addressbook
Against Racism, Calendar of Internationalism, Campaign reports, Posters
etc. are sent to over 2400 European organisations. If you also would
like to receive this mailing: see www.unitedagainstracism.org 'joining
the network'

----

UNITED for Intercultural Action
European network against nationalism, racism, fascism and in support of
migrants and refugees
Postbus 413 - NL 1000 AK Amsterdam
phone +31-20-6834778 - fax +31-20-6834582
info@unitedagainstracism.org -
www.unitedagainstracism.org

---------------------------------------------
This message was sent using Endymion MailMan.
http://www.endymion.com/products/mailman/ http://www.microlink.com/