(published in de.indymedia, 10 June 2025) translated from the French via: Sans nom to English by Act for freedom now!
Since 26th February, our two comrades N & M have been held on remand, accused of publishing the anarchist paper Zündlumpen (“criminal association / conspiracy”). This criminal case, which we have known about since 2022, was brought against the two of them and another person, under Section 129 (relating to organised crime and terrorism). In 2025, two other cases came to light, also implicating N and M: they are both charged with spreading the publication “Hetzblatt gegen den Windpark” [“Smear Sheet / Scandal Rag Against the Wind Farm”] alongside three other people (“incitement/promotion of criminal acts”). Secondly, they are both “suspects” for willful arson.
More information on the charges, the specifics of the investigation, and the context here:
– Germany/Austria: about raids, summonses and arrests in Munich and Salzburg in February 2025 April 2025
– About the repressive operation in Germany and Austria. Solidarity with the arrested anarchists March 2025
– Cops and Robbers March 2025
– Munich, surrounding area and Austria: Repressive operations in Germany and Austria. Arrests and raids against anarchists in Munich, February 2025 March 2025
Witness interviews / summons, and new people charged
In April seven people were taken for questioning by the public prosecutor, for witness interviews under the “incitement/promotion of criminal acts” investigation (linked to the “Hetzblatt gegen den Windpark ”) and the “series of arsons” in Munich. All those interrogated refused to answer questions. Two other summons were issued by the prosecutor’s office in May. On top of this, one person received a second summons. This last person was recently added as one of the suspects charged in the “incitement/promotion” case while remaining a statutary witness in the other case. In the course of the interview, she was further served with a court order for the collection of DNA and fingerprints. The DNA sample was taken on the spot, under the threat of violence. As with the previous interrogations, all those taken for interview refused to answer when questioned. Refusal to assist at the previous interviews in April already resulted in administrative fines of €250 (plus some bureacratic charges) per individual.
Details of the arrest
As we learned in the meantime, N and M were arrested on 26th February in the municipal library HP8 (Neues Gasteig neighbourhood) close to the Brudermühl bridge. Both of them were sitting in front of a computer when they were tackled to the ground by plainclothes cops. Clearly, the arrest had been well planned, with several plainclothes offices positioning themselves around them, putting on face coverings hoods on the spot, separating N. and M. and taking them away in handcuffs. The timing of the operation seemed to be carefully chosen: they waited until the comrades had logged in to the computers, which likely gave the nosey pig spies access to their encrypted e-mails. The State Protection Service was apparently lurking around the corner, and immediately informed our comrades of the warrant for their arrest. The two were then taken to the police station, processed for identification purposes, thoroughly examined for burn marks, measured and photographed naked, and had a “neck smear ” performed on them in order to present these scent traces to a police dog.
After this torture, our comrade M was taken at dawn to the Stadelheim detention center for men, where he is still locked up to this day, whereas our comrade N was held for a short period in the women’s detention center at Stadelheim, before being quickly transferred to the Aichach prison (near Augsbourg). This measure was probably taken because of the ban on contact imposed on the two comrades.
Conditions of detention at Aichach and Stadelheim
The conditions of detention of the two imprisoned comrades have all the hallmarks of a politically motivated bullying agenda. For example, they have still not been permitted any personal items of clothing or requested books, as laundry and book tickets have to be approved by the prosecutor. In addition, all applications for visits from friends have been refused for both, meaning that only family members are granted visit permits. As comrade N’s parents don’t live in Germany, she hasn’t received any visits so far, and can only phone her parents once a week for 15 minutes – but she’s not allowed to talk to her brother during these calls and is obliged to speak German with her mother, which she normally doesn’t do.
M on the other hand, has regular visits with his parents, but is not allowed to telephone. Visits take place in a video-monitored room, talking through an intercom grill, in the presence of two state security cops. Generally speaking, conditions of detention are more restrictive in the men’s prison, and in his wing, M is forbidden contact and work. This means that there are few moments for social interaction, almost no activities, and he has to spend more than 20 hours a day in his cell. In this respect, N’s conditions are not quite as harsh: she has a kitchen in her section, can take part in a few activities and has less lock-up time.
Consequently, for both of them, the post remains more or less the only way to keep in touch and communicate with their friends and comrades. But of course, all post goes through the Public Prosecutors’ office, which is why letters often take four weeks to arrive, or sometimes don’t arrive at all… Postcards are quicker. Despite the ban on contact, the two can write letters to each other, but these take even longer. Most of the time, letters are delivered in batches. This tiresome procedure obviously complicates communication enormously. What’s more, more or less all anarchist and far-left newspapers and pamphlets are withheld and/or censored. A few printed texts have been allowed inside from time to time, and even newspapers such as ‘Gefangenen-Info’ [prisoner-info] are also held back for being “a threat to the security of the establishment”. Nevertheless, it can be interesting to try to send printed texts inside. Access to the huge investigation file from inside the prison is also delayed and dragged out, which is also pure harassment.
Upcoming trial regarding the anarchist paper Zündlumpen under Section 129.
The three accused were indicted in April, hence we have to assume that the trial should begin this autumn. It will likely take place in the high-security chamber of the upper court or in Stadelheim prison.
We believe that, over and above support for our friends and comrades, this trial itself has its own significance for subversive movements and initiatives. The question in this case [in terms of legal procedure] is whether an alleged newspaper editor can be convicted under Section 129. The crimes this newspaper editor is accused of all fall under the dissemination of ideas – promotion of crime, calling for and incitement to commit crimes, and publishing threats. In sum, these are pure thought crimes. Whereas past trials against various works of the radical press in Germany were always about supporting and joining militant and armed groups, today it’s about the simple endorsement of resistance and counter-violence. That’s why we think it’s important not only to show our solidarity with the prisoners, but also to follow the procedings at the trial in terms of content, and to discuss what this new degree of repression and censorship means, and how we’re going to deal with it.
Whatever the result of the trial: we will not be muzzled!
Let’s destroy the prison society and defeat censorship!
Let’s organise the underground press!
Solidarity with the imprisoned comrades N and M, and all other anarchists and subversives harassesd and pursued by the cops!
Freedom for all!
To write to the comrades, their addresses can be obtained from solidaritaet-mit-n-und-m [at] riseup [dot] net.
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