[Imc] IMPORTANT PRECEDENT -- Swiss IMC lawsuit:

[Sascha Meinrath]

Several people wanted more information on the IMC Switzerland lawsuit
before making a decision whether to support IMC Switzerland.  Below is a
translation of the Swiss IMC statement.  The URL has links to relevant
information (which is in its original language).  It's taken me some time
to track down the original comic that led to the lawsuit (translating
German is not my strongsuite), but here it is:

http://switzerland.indymedia.org/display.php3?article_id=8075&group=webcast
(the text on the comic's sign roughly translates as "entry of the jews
into residence is forbidden" -- but my german is not very good)

Links to other comics in the series clearly demonstrate the intent of the
author to critique current Israeli policies dealing with Palestinians and
to parallel current Israeli practices with the historical oppression of
other minority groups.

I hope that we can quickly come to resolution on this issue and support
the Swiss IMC ASAP.  Please also feel free to post your support on the
Swiss IMC website (switzerland.indymedia.org).

--Sascha



*************************************
Other comics in the series:

#1 - Black people after U.S. Civil War
http://www.indymedia.org/local/webcast/uploads/metafiles/kkk.gif

#2 - South-African black people in apartheid days
http://www.indymedia.org/local/webcast/uploads/metafiles/waap2.gif

#3 - South-Vietnamese civilians during Vietnam War
http://www.indymedia.org/local/webcast/uploads/metafiles/waap3.gif

#4 - Tibetans under Chinese rule
http://www.indymedia.org/local/webcast/uploads/metafiles/waap4.gif

#5 - Native Americans facing U.S. Cavalry
http://www.indymedia.org/local/webcast/uploads/metafiles/waap5.gif

#6 - Natives from Chiapas facing Mexican troops
http://www.indymedia.org/local/webcast/uploads/metafiles/waap6.gif


************************************

From:
https://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/public/imc-europe/2002-February/000669.html

[Imc-europe] Statement by Indymedia Switzerland regarding the lawsuit
against it savanne at savanne.ch savanne at savanne.ch Wed, 6 Feb 2002
22:54:06 GMT

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hi

> hi all, translated the first statement. all the best, andi

thank you very much!
just found some small errors. here the corrected version:
---------------------------
Statement by Indymedia Switzerland regarding the lawsuit against it

Since Friday 2 February we were informed through a posting to the
site http://switzerland.indymedia.org/display.php3?article_id=8134
that a lawsuit has been filed against switzerland.indymedia.org.
The posting was signed by the spokesperson for AKdH (Action
Children of the Holocaust), see http://www.akdh.ch/indymedia.htm.
One day later he specified in a posting on
http://switzerland.indymedia.org/display.php3?article_id=8235 that
the lawsuit is targeting the moderators and editors of
switzerland.indymedia.org personally.

We have contacted the person responsible at the AKdH via
telephone in order to approach the existing problems other than
through a lawsuit. Regrettably, it was not possible to find a
satisfying solution for both sides with Mr. Althof. Instead he gave
us two names of alleged Indymedia "Editors" against whom he has
filed a lawsuit. He furthermore informed us that there will be
judicial steps against some more alleged "Editors" of
switzerland.indymedia.org, even though he declined to specify such
steps or informations.

We see juridical steps against Indymedia as a wrong way to go.
Indymedia is a leftist medium and aims to speak out against racism
in all forms. But as it is an open medium, it can't be guaranteed
that the opportunity to publish opinions and articles is not
misused. To acknowledge this we have introduced a "censored trash"
area into which we ban discriminative posts. By doing this, we
clearly distance ourselves from any content in this area. We think it
important to criticize and challenge the content of such postings
and to take a stand against their inhumane ideologies. We are
strongly objecting to a point of view which describes this is as
re-publication. The "censored trash" area is exactly what it's name
stands for: A publicly viewable wastebasket in which discriminating
contents are moved in order not to be found in the main Indymedia
site anymore.

The filing of a lawsuit is a further step against Indymedia. After
the newswire was flooded with postings in December, Indymedia is
now attacked via judicial channels. We will maintain our commitment
to a public discussion about content and aim of Indymedia in order
to do our bit for a movement against any form of oppression, be it
racism, antisemitism, sexism or other. We don't want to carry out
this discussion in court rooms.

ch.indymedia.org