Germany Tries 5 Ulm Activists Over €1 Million Elbit Damage, Testing Criminal-Organisation Law
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 28
Germany Tries 5 Ulm Activists Over €1 Million Elbit Damage, Testing Criminal-Organisation Law
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 28
Five activists from the UK, Spain, Ireland and Germany are being tried in Stuttgart after prosecutors accused them of belonging to a criminal organisation over a September break-in at Elbit Systems' Ulm site.
About €1 million in damage is at issue: prosecutors say the group smashed screens, PCs and sensitive equipment, while defence lawyers argue the case is essentially property damage and that the criminal-organisation charge is disproportionate.
Eight months of pre-trial detention and the high-security Stammheim prison venue have intensified criticism, with families and rights groups alleging unfair treatment and near-solitary confinement; prosecutors say detention conditions follow standard German law.
Section 129 of Germany's criminal code has become a flashpoint because it has also been used against protest movements, and Amnesty warns the Ulm case could stretch organised-crime tools into the realm of political protest.
The trial is being watched as a precedent for Germany's tougher response to pro-Palestinian activism, shaped by its strong support for Israel; if convicted, the five face up to five years in prison.
Is Germany weaponizing anti-crime laws to silence pro-Palestinian activism?
Why might a UK court defend an activist group that Germany prosecutes as criminals?
Will this verdict challenge Germany's historic 'reason of state' commitment to Israel?
Section 129 on Trial: The “Ulm 5” and the Battle Over Protest Rights in Germany
Overview
The "Ulm 5" trial in Stuttgart has become a major test for protest rights in Germany. Five activists from Palestine Action Germany are accused of breaking into Elbit Systems, an Israeli arms supplier, to protest alleged human rights violations. They face serious charges, including membership in a criminal organization under Section 129, a law usually reserved for organized crime or terrorism. Critics argue this is an overreach meant to suppress dissent, especially as the activists have endured harsh pre-trial detention and a high-security trial setting. The outcome could set a precedent for how Germany treats political activism and civil disobedience.