Fighters+Lovers: A Chronology

2006

January 18-20, 2006: F+L is launched 18th of January 2006 Fighters+Lovers launched their first collection under the parole ”look great and stand up for freedoms”. The collection consisted of a number of different t-shirts in the colors fuchsia, mango and white, which promoted the liberating movements PFLP in Palestine and FARC in Colombia. The price was 170 DKK, and 35DKK of the price would go directly to the establishment of a poster workshop and a radio station, which respectively would be run by the PFLP and FARC. As soon as a few days after the launch F+L was threatened with charge according to section 114 of the anti terror laws, that can give up to 10 years imprisonment.

January 20, 2006: Collection release party and media attention The collection was publicly announced at a party in the bar Stengade 30, Copenhagen N. At the same time the level of media attention was huge outside of Denmark as well as inside. Especially in Colombia the F+L was a hot topic

January 21, 2006: Colombia demands a reaction from the Danish state After a lot of media coverage of F+L in Colombia, an angry Colombian government asked the Danish authorities to react. The foreign minister of Colombia at the time and the current ambassador in the United States Carolina Barco demanded an explanation and stated that “Financing of terrorist groups is unacceptable and violates international norms.” The Colombian ambassador in Stockholm got the assignment to persuade the Danish authorities to investigate the t-shirt sale and the Colombian government sent a protest letter.

January 23, 2006: F+L is ahead of its time The editor of the established American internet magazine Colombia Journal suggests in a commentary that “the Danish fashion firm Fighters+Lovers maybe just [is] a bit ahead of its time.”

January 25, 2006: The youth organization of the rightwing party Venstre reports F+L to the police The fuss about F+L remained. The Danish Peoples Party asked the minister of justice Lene Espersen to forbid the t-shirt sale. The organization Venstres Ungdom reported F+L to the police. At the same time the police of Copenhagen starts an investigation of F+L, which according to Lene Espersen shall determine whether “there is a foundation for pressing charges in the case”.

February 20-22, 2006: F+L is charged with terrorism After investigation for a longer period of time the police charged F+L with violation of section 114a of the anti terror law. The accused people were arrested, interrogated, photographed and had taken DNA-samples. At the same time the F+L website was closed and the police impounded 24.000 DKK. The sale of t-shirts continued though.

2007

March 15, 2007: More than a year after the charge the prosecution begins The minister of justice decided that the 7 accused people should be prosecuted in what now is referred to as “the t-shirt case”. The Director of Public Prosecutions wrote in his press statement that “both PFLP and FARC has either announced responsibility for or is ascribed actions, which must be seen as covered by the criminal laws section 114 about terrorism.” At the same time he announced that the case would be presented for the district court of Copenhagen.

July 4, 2007: F+L invites the minister of justice Lene Espersen to sausages and soda F+L proposed to Lene Espersen that they could meet for a grilled sausage and a glass of lambrusco, so they would invite her to a barbecue. One the prosecuted, Bobby Schultz said: “We will terrorize Lene Espersen with high spirits and free drinks. She really needs it.” Another of the prosecuted, the hot-dog vendor Preben Mikkelsen added:” Lene Espersen has apparently lost her judgement. Instead of hunting terrorist ghosts she should rather come down to earth. Mikkelsen and friends grilled sausages without the minister of justice.

July 5, 2007: Terror lists are not a legally valid in Denmark The defense attorney Thorkil Høyer and the police solicitor Lone Damgaard agreed that the terror lists from the EU and the United States by it self could not stand as evidence that people are terrorists. This means that the terror lists aren’t legally valid under Danish law. In connection to that Thorkil Høyer said to the newspaper “Dagbladet Arbejderen” (“The newspaper The worker”): “the profits from the t-shirt sale was going to well defined causes, which hasn’t got anything to do with terrorism. It is important that the prosecutor agrees that the terror list from the EU by it self does not stand as evidence that the case is regarding terrorist organizations. There now has to be concrete evidense for each organization.” This was the first victory for F+L. One of the seven prosecuted, Michael Schölardt said to Dagbladet Arbejderen: “Now the prosecutor can’t just refer to the terror lists from the EU and the United States as an answer book. This means that even the prosecutor sees that the terror lists can’t stand as valid evidence here in Denmark. Among other things because there aren’t any legally valid rules on how you get on and off those terror lists.”

The district court

September 20, 2007: The district court – The trial begins

The trial began in the Copenhagen District Court. The trial mostly circled around subjects; whether the organizations were liberation movements or terrorist organizations, how the anti-terror law should be interpreted, the Israeli occupation of Palestine, and finally whether or not Colombia is a democratic state.

The defense had called in a number of international experts as witnesses. The defense attorney Thorkild Høyer stated in the newspaper Information: “It is unbelievable that you can get punished for supporting a radio station and a poster workshop. The anti-terror legislation unfortunately reflects that you won’t go into dialog with organizations as FARC and the PFLP even though they are the ones who hold the key to the solutions of the conflicts.” Under the first hearing the seven prosecuted was being interrogated and they willingly told about their support for FARC’s and PFLP’s legitimate right to armed rebellion against the Colombian regime and the illegal Israeli occupation. At the same time they categorically denied support of terrorism.

September 20, 2007: F+L gives a reception and party Immediately after the first hearing F+L hosted a reception in front of the district court in the city hall square. There was music and sale of t-shirts. In the evening there was a party for the prosecuted.

October 31, 2007: ‘stand up for freedom’-seminar F+L organized a seminar regarding surveillance, criminalization and anti-terror legislation, and about the political situation in Palestine and Colombia, and the two movements PFLP and FARC.

November 1-4, 2007: Launching of new products F+L launched a number of new products. The new selection consisted among other things of mini-books about the two movents and gold- and silver lighters with the text: ‘a fire for fighters – a light for lovers’ and ‘look great – stand up for freedom”.

The album ‘CumbiaClash – from jungle to street’ was sent out. CumbiaClash is a result of cooperation between Copenhagen underground DJ’s and Colombian musicians from FARC. The FARC-compositions was being smuggled from the Colombian Jungle and thereafter remixed in Copenhagen by a team of Danish artists. The 4th of November 2007 the releaseparty for the ambum was being thrown in front of the office of the minister of justice. There were live performance, festoons and fireworks.

Regarding to that, one of the contributory Danish artists said: “We are mixing Latin-American junglepower and punlsing rhythms with beats from our own underground. It has bean totally inspiring to work with musicians with so much on their minds. Is has ended in a hefty soundclash.”

Track List: 1. LeneE Presents! 2. ThunaTrix: §114b 3. Hanniballade: FarFarc 4. Intergalactique: Venceremos 5. Lisbent: Sponsored by… 6. Intergalactique: América

November 6, 2007: Horserød-Stutthof Foreningen (The Hørserøs-Stutthof Union) backs up F+L Danish resistance people from Horserød-Stutthof Foreningen sent out a press statement in which they declare full solidarity towards F+L. Among other things they write: “Therefore we urge all good forces to protest the terror legislation, which is now tried out in the Copenhagen District Court, courtroom 36. When wrong becomes right, resistance is a duty, you used to say. That still applies!” At the same time, the union also explained that they have supported FARC by a 1000 DKK in 2006, which they already then put to the attention of the minister of justice – without any kind of reaction.

November 9, 2007: Lene Espersen uses torture information in a Danish trial It became clear that the prosecuting authority build their evidence on information emerged under torture. Sexual abuse, electric chock, severe violence and death threats were used. Lene Espersen had earlier expressed that she wouldn’t legitimize use of information emerged under torture.

Thorkild Høyer said: “It’s very problematic that the prosecuting authority as its evidence uses convictions from Colombia which builds on torture information. Who knows what dark things is hidden in the additional material?” the defense attorney asked. “This information completely undermines the credibility of the prosecuting authority.”

November 14, 2007: The second court session – the witnesses of the defense: Niels Lindvig and Ole Sippel The second court session in the district court was among other things about interrogation of the witnesses of the defense Ole Sippel and Niels Lindvig. Ole sippel is a freelance journalist for Danmarks Radio (Denmarks Public Broadcasting), and an expert in Middle Eastern affairs. He has lived in the region several times. Ole Sippel explained the situation in the occupied Palestine and about the PFLP.

Niels Lindvig is a journalist and is the radio program P1’s Latin America expert. He has lived in Colombia several times. Lindvig described Colombia as a state, whose military units in cooperation with police in high places assault the population. He emphasized the fact that the chief of the Colombian secret police is accused of being directly involved with the paramilitary death squads activities. Lindvig also said that FARC is not a terrorist organization and not deliberately goes after civilian targets.

November 15, 2007: The third court session – the witnesses of the defense: Amilcar Figuera and Ilan Pape The third district court session continued the interrogations of defense witnesses. This time it was two of the defense’s international expert witnesses Amilcar Figuera and Ilan Pape. Amilcar Figuera is a Venezuelan historian, political analyst and VP of The Latin-American Parliament. Figuera explained about the political situation in Colombia and especially about FARC. He accounted among other things for previously peace negotiations, the paramilitary groups and the current situation. Furthermore Figuera emphasized that FARC sees it self as a political party and works negotiating solutions. In connection to that he criticized the fact that FARC is on the EU terror lists.

Ilan Pape is an Israeli historian and is working at the University of Exeter in England. He explained about the Israeli occupation, the settlements and about violation of human rights in the area. Furthermore he said that Israel doesn’t acknowledge the Geneva Convention and that the PFLP today isn’t a terrorist organization.

November 16, 2007: The fourth court session – the prosecutors witnesses: Reuven Paz and Angel Rabasa Reuven Paz has worked 23 years for the Israeli Segurity Agency Shin Bet and thus not a neutral witness. A part of Shin Bets work is to fight Palestinian groups, who fights armed against Israel. Shin Bet has systematically used torture and is a part of the Israeli occupational force. Rauven Paz explained in the court that he looks at the PFLP as a terrorist organization. Angel Ravasa works with the subject of terrorism and is an employee at the North American think tank RAND Corporation. RAND Corporation has close connections to the American military and cooperates among other things with the American military in the project ‘RAND project AIR FORCE’, which Angela Rabasa is a part of. The American military finances his job. Earlier Rabasa has been working in the US Department of Defense. The US was a part of the conflict in Colombia and thereby Rabasa is not an impartial witness. Colombia is the third largest receiver of military assistance from the United States.

Rabasa explained that there is liberty of speech in Colombia and that it is possible to say what you mean, but that you thereby risk repressions because of it. The defense revealed that Rabasa was lying in his testimony. Rabasa explained among other things that FARC allegedly should have killed three named politicians, who evidently were very much alive. Furthermore Rabasa apparently meant that FARC had never worked parliamentary in Colombia and that FARC was not a part of the Party Unián Patriótica in the 1980es, in which 4000 of their members was killed. This is even referred to in Rabasas own book about Colombia “Colombian Labyrinth”.

November 16, 2007; F+L accepts culture award F+L received a culture award for their struggle for the right to practice international solidarity. The award is a culture- and solidarity award which every year is being given by the workers union 3F Bygge, Jord og Miljø. The ceremony took place at a party in the union.

November 19, 2007: The fifth and last District Court session – The prosecutors last witness: The Danish Secret Service (The PET) analyst, who testifies behind closed doors, and the following procedure. The prosecutor’s last witness was an analyst from the Center of Terror Analysis. He has a master’s degree in political science and works primarily with the subject of terrorism. The witness is responsible for the preparation of the background analyses from respectively the PET’s counter terror division/The Analysis Division and Center of Terror Analysis, which is an agency under the PET. The witness explained about his preparation of these analyses. The witness doesn’t posses language knowledge in neither Arab nor Spanish. The report is insufficient. It does not involve the Colombian and the Palestinian/Israeli context and several sources are referred to only partially. In that way the meaning is another than originally intended. After that the prosecutor and the defense kept procedure. The prosecutor demanded that three of the prosecuted got at least nine months in jail, a fourth at least six months and the remaining three 2-3 months. The defense wanted complete acquittal.

November 23, 2007: Freedom Fight Night Fighters+Lovers threw a spectacular party with CD-release and gift shower in Nørrebro, Copenhagen. Artist lineup: MARWAN, Lang Linken, Intergalactique, Hanniballade, Kid Kishore, DJ Bondage, DJ Mescal, Ukiemana.

December 11, 2007: Den faglige klub (The Professional Group) sends money to FARC shortly before the sentencing of F+L Den faglige klub under the union Træ-Industri-Byg I Danmark (Tree-Industry-Build in Denmark) sent 10.000 DKK to FARC in Colombia. The money would go to the Unionist Raul Reyes, who had joined FARC and gone into hiding in Colombia after having been exposed to political persecution. The foreman of the group Viggo Toften-Jørgensen said to Denmarks Public Broadcasting: “There is a trial at the moment, in which the state tries out the anti terror legislation. That is a completely wrong foundation. If you had did the same under the apartheid in South Africa, there wouldn’t have been any support for the fight against that regime.”

December 13, 2007: Sentencing and event All seven procecuted were acquitted of all charges in the Copenhagen District Court. The acquittal means that indirectly the District Court overturned the terror lists from the EU and the United States. At the same time The PFLP and FARC were found not guilty of terrorism.

December 19, 2007: The Public Prosecutor appeals the court ruling The Public Prosecutor appealed the case to Øster Landsret (Eastern High Court). The reason was among other things that this is a test case. The public Prosecutor Lise-Lotte Nilas said to the tv station TV2: “The opinion of the prosecuting authority is that the evidence concerning the purpose and doing of FARC and the PFLP will have to be assessed in the High Court. Therefore we will appeal the ruling with the claim that the seven accused is convicted according to the original indictment.”

2008

The High Court

June 26, 2008: The High Court begins – provisional interrogations of the defense witness John Dugard

The first of the defense witnesses who was interrogated was the South African Judge and expert in international law John Dugard. Dugard is a former Israel- and Palestine Special Rapporteur for the UN’s Human Rights Council. He is considered one of the most competent experts in the field. In October 2007, he compared the Israeli occupation of Palestine to the South African racist apartheid regime.

august 8, 2008: The seminar ‘Theory and practice for Fighters and Lovers # 2’ F+L organized a seminar for activists including presentations and workshops.

August 26, 2008: CEREPO: Odds are 70-30 The independent think tank CEREPO estimates that the prosecutors will face a major challenge in the court next week. CEREPO believes that it is difficult for the prosecutor to find credible witnesses. They estimate that the odds are 70-30 in favour of the defendants.

August 28, 2008: New collection: Age of Liberation Fighters+Lovers launches the new collection of scarves, caps, a fragrance series and t-shirts in the colours: brown with gold print and turquoise with silver print. It takes place at a reception in the Copenhagen nightclub Dunkel with catwalk, DJ’s, pastry & blue drinks. The proceeds will go to courageous human rights lawyers in Colombia and Palestine. The collection can be seen throughout September in F+L’s showroom: at Preben’s hot dog stand on Blegdamsvej, Copenhagen.

September 3, 2008: First meeting in the Danish High Court - Torture-evidence The prosecutor presents a series of rulings from Colombia as a central part of the evidence. A thorough examination of the Colombian rulings reveals that several are based on confessions obtained through torture. This is a result of comparing the prosecutor’s material with reports from several human rights organizations, including the internationally recognized NGO International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) in Colombia.

In connection with one of the convictions, ICJ documented that two Colombian women were subjected to serious abuse and torture - including sexual violence and electric shock. After which, they confessed and were convicted for terrorist activity and membership of FARC.

Defence lawyer Thorkild Høyer, in an interview with a central Danish newspaper Politiken, states” [...] it is completely unbelievable that a prosecutor presents material, which we already know, is based on torture. Not only is it contrary to the Convention against Torture. It is also contrary to the instructions from the Danish Minister of Justices to the prosecuting authority. "

September 4, 2008: Second meeting in the Danish High Court - Torture Evidence rejected. The prosecution witness Matthew Levitt. The Danish High Court decides to reject all rulings from Colombia, recognising that several of the convictions were based on confessions obtained through torture. According to defence lawyer Thorkild Høyer: "With the judges decision today, there are sown doubts about the entire prosecution material".

The prosecutor witness, Matthew Levitt on PFLP: Matthew Levitt is employed by the private pro-Israeli think tank The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a lobby organization seeking to ensure a pro-Israeli policy in the United States. He has previously worked as an FBI analyst and at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

September 5, 2008: Third meeting at the Danish High Court. The prosecutor’s witnesses: Eduardo Monte Alegre Lynette and Russell Crandall. The defence witness: A Colombian defence attorney

The prosecution chooses to present the Colombian witness judge Eduardo Monte Alegre Lynette, despite he had been withdrawn him the previous day after court rejection of all prosecution cases from Colombia because of torture evidence.

Lynnette presents Colombia as a constitutional state, but had later to acknowledge that the state repeatedly carried responsibility for a number of murders and massacres.

It was made clear that Lynette in 2007 had lost a case before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights on the massacre in the village of La Rochela. In La Rochela, 12 employees of the Ministry of Justice were brutally murdered by paramilitaries with links to the Colombian military. After the murders, the perpetrators painted FARC-graffiti on their cars to give the impression that FARC had committed the crime. One of six cases in recent years in which the Colombian state has been found guilty of murder and assault.

The prosecutors then presented the witness Russell Crandall. A North American academic and former political adviser in the National Security Council, U.S. Department of Defence in the White House. Crandall is a staunch supporter of U.S. military involvement in Colombia and has written the book Gunboat Democracy: U.S. Intervention in the Dominican Republic, Grenada and Panama, describing American military interventions in Latin America during the Cold War as a spreading of democracy and economic prosperity. Among other things, Crandall stated that FARC behaved as Vikings, actually not well received in the Danish court.

The defence presented a Colombian defence lawyer, who has himself received death threats after defending Colombian trade unionists on charges of sedition. The lawyer documented the gap between a formal legal system and the reality in Colombia, implying that Colombia in practice was neither a constitutional nor a democratic state.

September 6, 2008: Fighter by Day Lovers by Night F+L party in Bolsjefabrikken (Copenhagen) with fashion, Palestinian food and Latin American folk music. The controversial artist Dror Elimelech Feil unveils an art installation with singing guerrillas in the Colombian jungle.

Artists: Tjuna Trix, Leonardo Rúa (Colombia / Spain), DJ Rosa Lux Renacientes (Colombian Hip Hop), Black Living Room (Copenhagen Rap), DJ Michael Mirage.

September 8, 2008. Fourth meeting in the Danish High Court – The defence witnesses: Ruchama Martone, Niels Lindvig and Ole Sippel

The recognized Israeli human rights activist and psychiatrist Ruchama Martone testifies in court, speaking of her many years of involvement in social and political work in Israel and Palestine and duties as president and founder of Physicians for Human Rights.

The next defence witness is Niels Lindvig, one of Denmark’s few experts on Latin America. A witness who has lived in Colombia and is employed by National Radio in Denmark. Lindvig states that: "The FARC is not a terrorist group…the situation in Colombia has drastically worsened under President Uribe."

The Danish TV journalist and expert on Middle Eastern issues, Ole Sippel, testified on PFLP.

September 8, 2008: Members of the Danish resistance movement transfer funds to PFLP. The Horserød-Stutthof Association, representing the Danish resistance movement under the Second World War, transfers 1,000 US dollars to the Palestinian liberation movement PFLP. "More that anyone, we know that armed resistance may be necessary as a last resort," says Anton Nielsen, Chairman of Horserød-Stutthof Association. "Resistance is unfortunately still necessary in countries like Palestine. When freedom fighters today are labelled as terrorists, we know that this also was the case for resistance fighters during World War II here in Denmark," adds Anton Nielsen.

September 9, 2008: Fifth meeting in the Danish High Court – The defence presents the witnesses Roland Anrup and Jorge Enrique Botero

The Swedish professor in history Roland Anrup is an expert on Latin America, researcher at the Gothenburg and Stockholm University, and principal at the Ibero-American Institute at Gothenburg University. His research is primarily an analysis of the Colombian civil war in a historical perspective, focusing on the growth of the peasant and guerrilla movements. According to Roland Anrup, FARC is not a terrorist organization and no serious social scientist can claim the existence of democracy in Colombia.

The Colombian journalist and writer Jorge Enrique Botero, former chief of communications in the Colombian Ministry of Culture and previous editor of the largest broadcasters in the country, CARACOL and TeleSUR, has worked freelance since 2000. A news reporter for television on the conflict in Colombia, and author of two books on the civil war, Enrique Botero is one of the few journalists who have visited the FARC’s prison camps.

September 9, 2008: Colombia will put pressure on the Danish court The Colombian Foreign Minister Jaime Bermudez contends in a television interview that the Colombian government has direct influence on the trial against Fighters+Lovers. According to Bermudez, in an interview on the television channel RCN´s popular program "La Noche", it is Colombia - and not the Danish Minister of Justice - which has taken the decision to appeal the acquittal from the district court. Jaime Bermudez claims that the Colombian government leads a campaign in Denmark for the conviction of Fighters+Lovers.

September 10, 2008: Sixth meeting in the Danish High Court. Submission of materials. Prosecutors proceedings.

September 11, 2008: Seventh meeting in the Danish High Court. Defence presents its several-hour proceedings and the defendants have the last word. Outside court friends meet the defendants with applause, flowers and music.

September 18, 2008: Sentence passed - Fighters+Lovers convicted and acquitted. The Danish High Court convicts 6 activists from Fighters+Lovers of terrorist funding. The hot-dog vendor and show room manager Preben Mikkelsen is acquitted. Others are given between 2 and 6 months of imprisonment for support of a radio and poster workshop run by liberation movements in Colombia and Palestine.

One member of the High Court objects, maintaining that FARC and PFLP are not to be seen as terrorists. The convicted Ulrik Kohl explains the verdict: "The judges haven’t been able to stand up against the great political pressure and have tried to share the sun and wind equal to judge some and acquit another." Director of F+L Michael Schølardt states: "We continue undaunted. Nelson Mandela was 90 years old before he was removed from the U.S. terror list. FARC and the PFLP have to wait a couple of years more to be removed from the EU list. We have plenty of time and Fighters+Lovers has several projects in the pipeline. "

The majority of the judges chose to give a purely political ruling which follows the rhythm of the present government drum in Denmark. The ruling is extremely simple: all freedom fighters in the world are in fact terrorists. Anyone giving a coin in humanitarian assistance to a liberation movement gives a coin to terror.

Fighters + Lovers declared immediately that they would appeal to the Supreme Court.

November 25, 2008: The Appeals Permission Board approves that the Fighters+Lovers case be brought to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court decides as to guilt, interpretation of the law and sentencing.

February 10, 2009: Horserød-Stutthof Association urges support for liberation movements and civil disobedience through financial support of FARC or PFLP. Anton Nielsen, spokesperson of the Horserød-Stutthof Association, explains in an interview with the newspaper Arbejderen: "This is a form of rebellion against terrorist legislation. We will not accept that support for oppressed people’s legitimate struggle is criminalized ... By practicing civil disobedience and breaking the law deliberately, we will create awareness about the consequences of the terror legislation."

February 20, 2009: Supreme Court proceedings are kick-started with a large-scale rebel party with participants from 3 continents.

February 25, 2009: New collection of fashion wristwatches: "Watch out for justice!"

F+L invites to a reception at the Poetic Bureau in Copenhagen. There was a speech from one of the t-shirt makers, bubbly, canapé, music and surprises.

The proceeds are given in support of advocacy groups providing legal aid to political prisoners in Israel and Colombia. “The philosophy of our new watches is that although time passes, values like freedom and justice remain," explains the terror accused Ulrik S. Kohl from Fighters+Lovers.

February 28, 2009: Freedom fighters on Town Hall Square. Members of the Danish resistance movement under the Second World War show the parallel between then and now. They were called terrorists during World War II, and today the same is happening for liberation struggles in Palestine and Colombia.

On Town Hall Square, there will be graphics, speech, music and a sound collage. Look, listen and feel what happened then and now: 11.00-13.00 a.m. on Town Hall Square in Copenhagen (Rådhuspladsen).

March 3, 2009: "Fighters + Lovers: The Beginning". F+L Games launches the history of F+L as a computer play somewhere in Copenhagen.

March 5-6, 2009: Hearings at the Supreme Court Meet up with union banners and flags at 7.30. There is coffee and music outside the court! Hearings at the Supreme Court, Prince Jørgens Gård, 1218 Copenhagen K, are on Thursday 5th of March, 8.30-14.30 and Friday the 6th of March, 8.30-10.00.

March 23, 2009: Latin-American politicians in an open letter criticised the Minister of Justice Brian Mikkelsen The trial created international headlines when Latin-American politicians in an open letter criticised the Minister of Justice Brian Mikkelsen. Prominent politicians from Chile, Bolivia, Guatemala and Venezuela stated that solidarity with armed resistance in several cases has paved the way for a deeply needed democratic change. They request an explanation from the Danish Minister of Justice.

During the trial it was emphasized that activities, which the Danish prosecutor defines as serious violations of the terrorist legislation, are considered unproblematic in Norway and Sweden. Norway has decided to no longer apply the EU terrorist list. During the trial, it was revealed thatin Sweden several acts of financial support for PFLP and FARC had not lead to judicial problems.

Furthermore, neither PFLP nor FARC are included on the UN terrorist list:

“Fortunately, in Sweden we can continue to support this type of projects – even if they are created by organizations on the EU terrorist list”, said member of Riksdagen (The Parliament of Sweden) Kalle Larsson from the Left Party to arbejderen.dk:

March 24, 2009: Danish Minister of Justice questions the very basis of the previous High Court decision The day before the Supreme Court ruling on the T-shirt case, the Danish Minister of Justice questions the very basis of the previous High Court decision.

In Danish parliament, Minister of Justice Brian Mikkelsen (Conservative Party) in answering a question from the Red-Green Alliance clearly contradicts the prosecutor in the High Court trial against Fighters+Lovers.

In 2008, the prosecutor succeeded in convincing the High Court that the level of democratic rights in Israel and Colombia was not to be considered in an assessment of action by resistance movements. This lead to prison sentences for the six indicted in the trial. This is contradicted in today’s statement from Minister of Justice Brian Mikkelsen. In his answer, he accepts that a concrete assessment of the context in which the actions of liberation movements are carried out must be conducted.

According to the defence lawyer Thorkild Høyer, who represents Fighters+Lovers: “This is a bomb under the entire basis of the T-shirt Trial”.

March 25, 2009: T-shirt makers convicted of Terrorism in the Supreme Court

The Danish High Court convicted six activists from the clothing company Fighters+Lovers guilty of supporting terror. The convicted state that in spite of today´s verdict the solidarity with liberation movements will continue together with the work for democratic rights.

The Supreme Court found that the company’s T-shirts violated the Danish terror legislation, because the sales would support the resistance movements PFLP in Palestine and FARC in Colombia. All the convicted got conditional prison sentences of between 2 and 6 months.

"I’m very surprised. I still don´t think that fight for freedom is terrorism, nor should solidarity be a crime”, says Katrine Willumsen, who was convicted 60 days of conditional prison and continues:

“Of course we do not regret that we have raised the debate about the undemocratic terror laws. But we think this should be discussed in a free public debate, and not in a court”, states Katrine Willumsen. “I’m angry because the verdict shows that the terror legislation is dangerous for democracy. It is time for it to be changed so that our political freedoms will again be secured, says Katrine Willumsen.

The trial created international headlines when Latin-American politicians in an open letter criticised the Minister of Justice Brian Mikkelsen. Prominent politicians from Chile, Bolivia, Guatemala and Venezuela stated that solidarity with armed resistance in several cases has paved the way for a deeply needed democratic change. They request an explanation from the Danish Minister of Justice. During the trial it was emphasized that activities, which the Danish prosecutor defines as serious violations of the terrorist legislation, are considered unproblematic in Norway and Sweden. Norway has decided to no longer apply the EU terrorist list. During the trial, it was revealed that in Sweden several acts of financial support for PFLP and FARC had not lead to judicial problems.

“Instead of criminalizing international solidarity, Denmark could have chosen another path, and followed Sweden and Norway. Denmark could instead play a positive role in the international society and work for dialogue and peaceful solutions”, says Ulrik Kohl, who was convicted 6 months of conditional prison.

In spite of the political ruling of the court, Ulrik Kohl states, that there has been a very positive result of the process: “We have seen a new movement evolve - a movement that dares to go against the attacks on our democratic rights, a movement for dialogue, peace and the right to speak up for justice. Sparked by the organization “Rebellion”, this movement counts old resistance fighters from the Danish resistance against the Nazi occupation in the 40’ties, it counts trade unionists, politicians and a lot of people from all over the world that want to defend democratic rights."

Besides Katrine Willumsen and Ulrik Kohl, four activists from Fighters+Lovers was sentenced between 2 and 6 month of conditional prison.

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