GMW: Terror Charges for GM Crops Action

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GMW: Terror Charges for GM Crops Action

" GM WATCH " <info

Sat, 14 May 2005 16:05:17 +0100

 

 

 

 

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http://www.gmwatch.org

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Go into a building, hang up a banner... and get prosecuted under laws

against terrorism!

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Greenpeace Charged Under Danish Terror Law for GM Crops Action

- Denmark Radio web site, Copenhagen, in Danish 0823 gmt May 12, 2005;

BBC Monitoring Intl

 

The environmental organization Greenpeace has become the first body to

be charged under the provisions of the anti-terrorism package over a

protest action against genetic modification. This conflicts with the aim

of the anti-terrorism legislation, several Danish parliamentarians have

said.

 

Usually triggers a fine

 

On 13 October 2003 Greenpeace carried out an action against

genetically-modified crops at Danish agriculture's headquarters at

Axelborg in

Copenhagen. Activists entered Axelborg illegally and hung up a giant

banner. Greenpeace activists have used the same tactics in scores of

previous

actions and this usually triggers a fine for each individual activist.

 

Greenpeace is now also being charged for the first time under a section

of the so-called terror package. " When the terror package was

introduced it included a provision that companies which did something

illegal

could be charged. However, it was quite clear that there was a desire to

hit organizations which support terrorism. Now there is an attempt to

use it on a body as peaceful as Greenpeace, " says Greenpeace lawyer

Steen Bech.

 

Completely different application

 

Greenpeace has been charged under section 306 of the criminal code,

which was amended when the Folketing [Danish parliament] produced the

terror package in such a way that it is now possible to charge the entire

Greenpeace organization for the conduct of a few activists.

 

" And it has to be said that this is a completely different application

than the Folketing intended. It is therefore alarming that the

prosecuting authorities have brought charges, but interesting to see

how the

courts will rule, " Steen Bech says.

 

He has political support.

 

" If the section is now applied broadly in order to restrict political

debate then we will have to look at rewriting the section, " says Sandy

Brinck,

Social-Democrat member of the Justice Committee.

 

" During the debate we warned against it being used for something which

was not the intention, so the fear now is that this will actually

happen, " says Anne Baastrup, Socialist People's Party Justice Committee

member.

 

Covert actions

 

According to Steen Bech there are two dangers when the terror package

is used on grass-roots organizations such as Greenpeace. " We strangle

grassroots political activity. There will also be a trend towards

conducting these sort of actions covertly. And that is something which

we are

not at all interested in - we want these issues to be out in the open, "

Steen Bech says.

 

The court case against Greenpeace is to begin in mid-June. Justice

Minister Lene Espersen will not comment until the case has been dealt

with

by the

courts.

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Greenpeace charged with terrorism

12 May 2005

http://denmark.dk/portal/page?_pageid=374,610566 & _dad=portal & _schema=PORTAL & ic_n\

extitemno=1 & ic_itemid=828689

 

Greenpeace has been charged with terrorism for a 2003 action.

Politicians who supported the country's terrorism laws are against the

move

 

Environmental organisation Greenpeace has been charged with terrorism,

making it the first organisation to be charged under the country's

terrorism laws passed in the wake of the World Trade Centre terror

actions.

 

The charge stems from a 2003 action in which the organisation protested

genetically modified crops by hanging a banner on the headquarters of a

Danish agricultural organisation. Greenpeace often uses that type of

action to draw attention to its causes, which usually results in a fine

for those activists participating in the action.

 

The charge against Greenpeace is based on law change that allows entire

organisations to be prosecuted for the acts of individual members.

 

'When the terrorism laws were implemented, a rule was made so that

organisations that did something illegal could be punished. But it was

clear that the point was to target organisations that supported

terrorism.

Now, they are trying to use it against a peaceful group like

Greenpeace,' said Greenpeace's attorney Steen Beck to national

broadcaster DR.

 

The charge also has some in parliament concerned that the terror law is

being misused.

 

'If the law is being used to stifle political debate, then we'll need

to look into narrowing it down,' said Sandy Brinck, an opposition Social

Democratic member of the parliament's judiciary committee.

 

The matter was a case of 'I told you so' for other opposition parties.

 

'During the debate, we warned that the law could be used in ways that

it wasn't meant to, and now the fear is that it actually will be,' said

Socialist member of the judiciary committee Anne Baastrup.

 

Justice Minister Lene Espersen refused to comment on the case until the

courts had made a decision.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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