International Workers League / IV.International:
 
Campaign in defence of freedom of press in the case of the journalist Nick
Brauns and declaration of solidarity with the struggle against neonazism in
Germany.
 
Among other professions, Doctor Nick Brauns works as a free lance
journalist for German newspapers Junge Welt (Young World) and Newes
Deutschland (New Germany). He has lately published several pieces of work
about the Munich police and the neonazi activities in the state of Baviera. 
On 2nd June 05 he was on duty for Junge Welt in the Waldfrieden restaurant
in the neighbourhood of Lami in Munich. In the same restaurant, a NPD (most
important neonazi party in Germany) preparatory encounter in anticipation
for the forthcoming election for the parliament. Regional leaders of the NPD
(among them chairman for the district, Roland Wuttke) and the leader of the
group “Fraternity of Munich”, Norman Bordin, previously convicted for
serious corporal injuries. Brauns intended to make a note on this encounter.
 
During the meeting of the neonazis, a group of hooded antifascists entered
the restaurant and expressed their repudiation of the NPD assembly.
Collisions between the two groups ensued and two of the restaurant glass
window cases were smashed. The antifascists immediately left the restaurant.
Nick remained there and handed his document when he was required to do so by
the police so that they could summon him as witness. That very night, at 3
o’clock in the morning, Brauns was arrested in front of his house by the
police who had been waiting for him for several hours. The Political Police
of the State of Germany informed him that he was accused of being the
organiser of the antifascist protest in the restaurant, a felony that was
assessed as “serious disturbance of domestic peace” and “serious disturbance
of public peace!. The accusation was based on information provided by a
notorious Munich neonazi. Even though there was no court warrant, Brauns’
home was searched by the police.
Considering that about eight hours elapsed between the confrontation in the
restaurant and the invasion of Brauns’ home – sufficient time to obtain a
search and arrest warrant – it is manifest that the police procedure is
contrary to the regulations valid in Germany. Brauns’ work tools such as his
computer, his notebook, his cell phone, his CD’s, his papers and writs were
confiscated.
These elements have not yet been returned to him and the Technical
Department of the German Criminal Police have not even given him a copy of
the memory of the rigid disc of Brauns’ computer.
Brauns’ work as a journalist has thus been severely impaired: already edited
article cannot be sent and he cannot locate the addresses and telephone
numbers that he needs in order to work. Actually, it is a prohibition of
working in his profession exerted by the Political Police. A critical
journalist, one who fights against the growth of neonazism in Germany, had
to be silenced. Brauns had already had problems in the past for having
exposed the protection and the tolerance dispensed by the police to the
activities of the neonazis and also of the police activity in protection of
the demonstrations of these groups. At the same time, Brauns has also
suffered damage to his everyday life, from the economic point of view and he
has already had considerable loss of salaries and income.
On the other hand, as a journalist, Brauns has confidential information
obtained in interviews. Were this information to be manipulated by the
Political Police, there would be damage to third parties involved. The
confiscation of all Brawns’ means of filing, communication and editing is in
a way an attack against freedom of press in the country.
Because of his work, Brauns has been targeted by German neonazis. A long
time ago, Roland Wutke of the NPD had violent instigations against known
antifascists published in pamphlets and in Internet, focussing especially on
Brauns.
The presentation of the events of 2/6/05 made the Police, according to
declarations made by the neonazis, give the racist forces new pretexts for
increasing the harassment against Brauns. Neonazi Internet pages open
discuss how extreme-right militants should get armed and attack Brauns
violently.
We need a great amount of letters of solidarity addressed directly to the
Munich police and to the public prosecutor of the State of Gemany following
the enclosed pattern:
Organisation (trade union, students’ centre, professional centre, etc
addresses Your Excellency to protest against the overt violation of freedom
of press in the case of the journalist Nickolaus Brauns and to express our
solidarity with all the activists who struggle against racism in Germany. We
consequently request:
* Immediate cancellation of the proceedings initiated against Braun based
only on accusations rendered by notorious neonazis of Munich. 
 * Immediate restitution of all the tools of journalist’s work that were
confiscated
 * Economic compensation for the damage caused for the lessening of Brauns’
salaries and incomes
 * Rectification of the false declarations on Brauns made publicly and to
the press in general by the German police 
 * Taking into account public threat emitted by the neonazis against
Brauns, security authorities of Germany are to declare clearly by means of
what measures they intend to preserve Brauns’ life and physical wellbeing.
 
This text is to be sent to the following addresses
*Staatssnwalltschchaft München 1 
(State Prosecutor in Munich 1
PF 80997 München
Telefon: 089/1910-0 Fax: 089/2910-4528
E-Mail: ppmuc@polizei.bayern.de
 
 
The following text in German should be sent together with the English text: 
 
Wir protestieren gegen die offensichtliche Verletzung der Pressenfreiheit im
 
Fall des Journalisten Dr. Nikolaus Brauns und erklären unsere Solidarität
mit allen Aktvisten und Antifaschisten gegen Rassismus in Deutschland: 
Wir fordern daher die Münchner Polizei und Staatsanwaltschaft auf:
das Verfahren gegen Brauns sofort einzustellen, da es lediglich auf den 
haltlosen Anschuldigungen stadtbekannter Neonazis basiert
unverzüglich alle beschlagnahmten Arbeitsmittel des Journalisten Brauns 
zurückzugeben Schadensersatz für den Verdienstausfall von Brauns zu leisten
Richtigstellung der offenkundig falschen Aussagen der Polizeipressestelle
über Brauns gegenüber Presse und Öffentlichkeit.
Die Sicherheitsbehörden mögen erklären, wie sie angesichts der offenen 
Drohungen gegen Brauns dessen Unversehrtheit von Leib und Leben zu schützen wollen.
 
Copies of the messages to:
Pressefreiheit2005@web.de