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  1. Original documents (German)
  2. What the experts say (German)
  3. Media reports (German)
  4. Media reports (English)
  5. More information (German/English)

Original documents (German)

Strafantrag gegen 2 VGT-Mitarbeiter
These charge sheets prove in black and white that Martin Balluch and Christian Moser are being put on trial for campaigning activities like documenting the conditions on fur farms (page 4) or organising demonstrations (page 14).
Strafantrag gegen David Richter und Harald Balluch
David Richter and Harald Balluch are persecuted because of activities like motivating people to attend demonstrations (page 5-6) or researching which clothes shops sell real fur (page 4).
Abschlussbericht von DDr. Martin Balluch
The charge sheets often use very ambiguous words, such as "providing tactical advice", to describe Martin Balluch's alleged criminal behaviour. This final police report, summarizing the results of the investigation against him, proves that these words refer to nothing else than typical, non-criminal campaigning activities.
§ 393a – Strafprozessordnung
Allgemeine Honorarskriterien
Although each of the activists will have to pay over €35,000 for their legal defence, Section 393a of the Austrian criminal procedure code states that they shall receive no more than €1250 (i.e. about 3% of the costs) back if they are found not guilty.

What the experts say (German)

Amnesty International
Stellungnahme
Interview mit Heinz Patzelt
Der Standard
Rechtsexperten kritisieren Mafia-Paragrafen

Media reports (German)

Below is a selection of articles and video reports reflecting the development of the case, taken from various German and Austrian media sources.

21/05/2008, ORF:
Zahlreiche Tierschützer festgenommen
04/06/2008, Die Presse
Entscheidung über U-Haft-Verlängerung am Freitag
After two weeks of being imprisoned, the activists still didn't know what exactly they were supposed to have done. Martin Balluch was then still on hunger strike.
15/07/2008, Der Standard
Die gläsernen Tierschützer
Although the activists had been subject to massive spying action, the police were clearly unable to come up with real evidence.
02/08/2008, ARD
Europamagazin (video)
29/08/2008, ORF
Pressekonferenz Peter Pilz (video)
Green MP Peter Pilz discloses minutes of the secret meeting between the fur-selling department store owners and the heads of the police.
02/09/2008, Die Presse
Tierschützer enthaftet
22/10/2008, Wiener Zeitung
Tierschützer bei OGH abgeblitzt
The extreme police measures have been justified by the claimed damage of €600,000 caused by attacks on animal enterprises. But this article (4th paragraph) reveals that 70% of this sum was dismissed by the insurance company in charge.
16/04/2009, Österreich
Skandal um Ermittlung gegen Tierschützer
When doing investigations against the mafia, exceeding the budget is always a problem, but in this case, money has never been a topic.
18/05/2009, Der Standard
Am Rande des Nervenzusammenbruchs
Full access to the investigation files is still being denied to the accused activists despite court ruling that this is unacceptable.
09/09/2009, Die Presse
Monsterverfahren gegen Tierschützer
15/12/2009, Der Standard
Monsterprozess startet im März
The trial is expected to last six months (at the time of writing this article, it was thought that only 10 activists would stand the trial).
01/02/2010, Die Presse
Anklage gegen drei weitere Tierschützer
01/03/2010, Österreich
Monster-Verfahren kostet uns 4,8 Millionen Euro

Media reports (English)

Unfortunately, there has only been a limited coverage of the case by English media.

30/05/2008, Austrian Times
Prosecutors confused activists with mafia...
05/06/2008, The Guardian
Who's being caged? (comment)
01/09/2008, Austrian Times
Jailed AR campaigner to run for Greens
03/09/2008, Austrian Times
Freed campaigner blasts 'biased' policing

More information (German/English)

Pelzfarmen in Skandinavien (German)
This is a documentary about animals on fur farms. The production of this film (i.e. filming the farms) is considered criminal by the Austrian prosecution (see above) and is now one of the reasons why Martin Balluch is facing up to 5 years in prison.
Widerstand in der Demokratie (German)
A book written by Martin Balluch, a double doctor and former science assistant at Cambridge University, explaining the rationale behind confrontational non-violent campaigning, which is now being criminalised in Austria.
Antirep2008 (German/English)
Verein gegen Tierfabriken (German/English)
The two websites above provide more information about the case (as well as the Austrian animal protection movement in general).
Tierschutzprozess.at (German)
International Campaign for Human Rights in Austria – english@shameonaustria.org