Danish Court About to Decide on FARC and the EU Terror Lists

Copenhagen from September 3rd: The highly controversial trial on Danish support for FARC ’T-shirts and terrorism’ is about to reach it’s final point. If the Eastern High Court decides to follow up the acquittal from the City Court of Copenhagen, Denmark could be the first country in the European Union to dismiss the EU terror list.

Denmark’s Eastern High Court is examining the case from September 3rd to September 11th. The trial is already making headlines in Danish news papers and national radio.

Background on T-shirt producers Fighters+Lovers

Seven activists from Fighters+Lovers have been charged with sponsoring terrorism through their support for FARC. A charge sanctioned by the Danish Minister of Justice in accordance with the new "anti"-terror legislation passed after the 9/11 2001. A potential crime under the post-9/11 Danish anti-terror laws that carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. The ’crime’ however is to produce and sell T-shirts. The controverse is that Fighters+Lovers intended to ship 5 Euro from each T-shirt sale to the two liberation movement PFLP in Palestine and FARC in Colombia. Both movements has been put on a so-called "terror list" by the EU.

In December 2007 the seven activists were acquitted by the City Court of Copenhagen but the a second trial is about to begin in the Eastern High Court in Copenhagen because the prosecuting authority decided to appeal. First curt session is 3rd of September and the verdict is supposed to be handed down at a final court session on September 11th.

Think tank: Not guilty

The independent Danish think tank CEREPO (www.cerepo.dk, Center for Research of Police and Judicial Matters) have stated that there is 70% probability of a verdict in favour of the seven T-shirt vendors accused of supporting terrorism.

"We are convinced that we will win the trial again. We have supported the freedom fighters of Palestine and Colombia, just like other Danes supported the ANC in South Africa in the 80s," says Michael Schølardt, one of the defendants.

New collection 2008: Age of Liberation

The defendants and the Fighters+Lovers collective have not been scared by the prosecution. On the contrary F+L will launch a new collection ’Age of Liberation’ of T-shirts, accessories and a series of fragrances ’Selva’ and ’Ramallah Nights’. This time however the profit of the sales will be transferred to grass root legal aid groups supporting prosecuted people in Palestine and Colombia, while F+L awaits the result of the trial.

Overview of the matter: http://www.fightersandlovers.org/sp...