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Germany: Berlin 7

01 September 1994

The trial of the Berlin 7 took several unexpected turns in October (see Statewatch, vol 4 no 4). The 100 page statements from two of the defendants, state witnesses, have been withdrawn. The first by 17 year old Erkan Sonmez, who is registered as mentally ill, was retracted in court. The second by Bahzdin Yoldas was withdrawn by the judge after it was shown to have been substantially based on Erkan's statement. With this collapse in the state's case the charge of "premeditated collective murder" was also dropped. The seven remain charged with offences of affray which could result in sentences of between 3-8 years in prison.

The case arose out of a clash in a Chinese restaurant in April 1992 where anti-fascists discovered members of the far-right Deutsche Liga/Die Nationalen were meeting. When news of the meeting was learnt there was a spontaneous gathering of anti- fascists who went to the restaurant. In the ensuing confrontation the secretary of the far-right group, Gerhard Kaindl, sustained several knife wounds and later died.

No arrests were made until November 1993. But in October 1992 a representative of Deutsche Liga/Die Nationalen admitted that he was given a name of the alleged perpetrators by the police during a witness interrogation. The Deutsche Liga announced in their newspaper that the names and addresses of those alleged to be involved could be obtained from their office.

Of those on trial four said they took part but had nothing to do with the stabbing, one has made no statement, one - Erkan has retracted his statement, and one, Abidin Ersalan, said he did not take part and only heard about it the next morning. The police are still looking for four other people.

International Solidarity Group Dieffenbachstrasse 33 D-10967 Berlin Germany. Tel & fax: ++ 49 30 694 93 54.