Hamamboculeri.org: Alternatif Haber,Ingilizce, 7 Eylul 2002
Posted by: Turgut Durduran
'Welcome to Cyprus: Anarchy on Trial'
WELCOME TO CYPRUS!
from: http://www.ainfos.ca/ainfos336/ainfos01066.html
WELCOME TO CYPRUS!
Here is the English translation of a leaflet which was handed out to tourists as they came off their planes at Larnaca airport last night. To send wherever you like!
WELCOME TO CYPRUS!
Before you begin your holiday basking on the beaches of this beautiful island, we invite you to read the following:
The Cypriot State, while calling itself democratic, tries in every way to obstruct and prevent each and every kind of social struggle and the very act of doubting the State itself.
At this moment anarchist comrade George Karakasian has been a hostage in the hands of this State since 27/08/02. The only 'crime' our comrade has committed is that he contested not only the existence of the State but also its logic of passivity, wage slavery, or 'enclosure' within the artificial needs required for the preservance and survival not only of the Cypriot State but of every other State and authority in general.
Last April, a period characterised by the massive and continuous massacre of the Palestinian people by the Zionist murderers, George Karakasian could not remain passive. Ignoring the lifestyle that wants people to stay closed within a personal deadlock in any [text unclear] \205 way be 'judged' by so-called 'bourgeois legality' - but because we want to show the dirt, hypocricy and everything else that the word 'justice', the candy they hold in their mouths every day, stands for. So in order to to destroy the illusions which the law serves to foster:
Charge (1): 'Causing serious physical injury to a police officer': If the symbolic grasp (showing up the hateful the role of the police present) of the hat of a cop who later talked in front of the cameras can be called 'serious physical injury', then what can we call the capturing of the comrade by these cops, his being dragged inside the home of the Israeli ambassador and continually beaten all over his body by five of them shouting at him 'fuck your anarchy'. They also injured his ear by pulling his earring. The extent of his injuries was such that he was taken to hospital. The \221democratic\222 procedure did not stop there. When George Karakasian returned to the hospital the next day his case card had accidentally disappeared. We have already clarified that we did [text unclear] \205.are not presenting the charges in order to justify them. The dignified attitude our comrade held in the court (something seen for the first time in Cyprus) and the fact that he did not ask for it to show him any clemency, shows exactly what are the feelings of anarchists for so-called 'bourgeois justice' are.
We as comrades of anarchist George Karakasian feel sorrow, of course, for the fact that he is imprisoned by the detestable Cyprus State, but at the same time we have the joy of knowing that our comrade remains strong and knows the impact his acts will have in the future in the revolutionary movement of the island and in future struggles generally.
Our solidarity until the day of the sentence (4/09/02 but which will also continue later) will take those dimensions it has to, in order that all those who express the misery of power understand that the attack they have started against anarchists and all those in struggle will not remain unanswered.
FREEDOM TO ANARCHIST COMRADE GEORGE KARAKASIAN. SOLIDARITY TO ANARCHIST SOTIRI MARANGO WHO WILL BE JUDGED FOR THE SAME CASE 19/09/02
ANARCHIST GROUP OF CYPRUS For communication: exegersi2002@yahoo.com
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Freedom for anarchist Giorgos Karakasian, hostage of the State of Cyprus
from: http://www.ainfos.ca/ainfos336/ainfos01005.html
Freedom for anarchist Giorgos Karakasian, hostage of the State of Cyprus
Today, 27th August 2002, anarchist comrade Giorgos Karakasian made his third appearance in court following a demo outside the Israeli embassy in Nicosia o18th April 2002, on the occasion of a celebration of the anniversary of the foundation of the State of Israel, where scuffles broke out between demonstrators and the police who were protecting the entry of guests to the assassins' banquet.
The accusation is that of 'beating a cop' (who happened to be the second in command for the whole of Cyprus) and causing damage to the car of one of the guests.
It was already clear that this was to be no ordinary trial. Giorgos received his summons only sixteen hours before the first hearing, at which he was accused of 'crimes' which were not included in the original summons. When the comrade denied the accusations against him the prosecutor asked for the trial to be speeded up. It was set for two weeks later, (14/06/02) whereas all the other cases heard that day were postponed for three months. At the subsequent hearing the trial was set for today, 27th August, due to the absence of two witnesses.
During this time first one, then a second, defense lawyer abandoned the case as George was not prepared to apologize for his actions or ask the court for leniency. No other lawyer was prepared to take up his case. Defending anarchists is not good for business in this banana republic! In court today George decided to speak alone, without a lawyer, and to claim responsibility for his actions. He also declared that he did not recognize the court, and was not going to beg for clemency. The judge was visibly confused and consternated by the singular individual before him who, underlining his revolutionary anarchist identity was for the first time in the history of Cyprus, claiming responsibility for an act of rebellion with dignity and pride. The henchman of the State's immediate reaction was to have the comrade speedily removed from court and sent to prison for a week pending sentence, which he has promised will be the maximum for contempt of court. The date has been set for September 4.
All visits have been refused by the prison authorities.
Giorgo's anarchist comrades in Cyprus are giving him their unconditional solidarity, with all possible means. But, unlike the State, anarchists know no boundaries. It's up to comrades everywhere to show this fucking island full of soldiers and military bases, that another reality exists: that of the joyous lightness of rebellion.
Some comrades of the anarchist group of Cyprus
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(Here is an old leaflet)
Anarchists on Trial
While the people of Palestine were being slaughtered and humiliated the ambassador for Israel in Cyprus was throwing a party to celebrate the anniversary of the establishment of the terroristic fascistic State of Israel. Needless to say, the above characteristics define all States. For every fighting person and any person with any human feelings this was a provocation that could not remain unanswered and a serious reason for our accumulated rage to be expressed. Not only towards the Zionist bully but also towards all those who, from all the security of their life of accommodation, put victims and oppressors on the same level. Anyone with any kind of dignity was there, not just to show off to public opinion (as in some cases) but to show that the insurrection against the murderers of the human race and against everything that oppresses us is a reality.
The aim of the arrest of the two comrades Giorgos Karakasian and Sotéris Marangos that night (with the ridiculous accusation of beating the cops i.e. those who regularly beat up and maltreat people but have rarely been presented before a court) and the first trials that took place on 30/05/02 was to scare fighting people and prevent future events such as those which took place that night ever happening again.
The comrades present in court for the parody of a trial faced the total absence of all those who claim to be progressive and rebellious but restrict themselves to tiresome speeches.
These trials ridicule the rotten State which while speaking of human rights represses people who truly fight for human rights.
The comrade Giorgos Karakasian received his summons only sixteen hours before the trial and at the latter he was accused of crimes which were not included in the summons! After the two comrades denied the accusations the prosecutor (without even trying to keep up appearances) asked for the trials to be speeded up. And this is indeed what happened. While for the other cases in court that day trial was appointed for approximately three months ahead the comrades were set for trial in only two weeks' time in order that the matter end quickly and painlessly and to prevent some people from awakening from the lethargy of their miserable life which the State offers its citizens with the help of the media.
The comrades who are to be judged on 14/06/02 are not alone because as they themselves know they will surely have the solidarity that every fighting person deserves. The only thing we can do to challenge to nightmare in which we are all living is daily and continuous insurrection.
NO BORDERS NO STATE
Anarchist group of Cyprus
exegersi2002@yahoo.com The trial has now been set for August 27 2002