FREE SPEECH PETITION HANDED TO GERMAN EMBASSY IN PRETORIA

Press release by South African Press Association, May 29 1997

A petition calling on Germany to recognise the right to freedom of speech was presented to the German Embassy in Pretoria on Wednesday by about 20 concerned individuals, the group said on Thursday.

Calling themselves Friends of Freedom of Speech, they demanded the release of all political prisoners in that country.

Spokesman Dr Claus Nordbruch, an author who moved to South Africa 11 years ago, said about 500 people were languishing in German prisons due to their political persuasions, most of them authors, journalists and scientists.

The petition, signed by about 50 people, said hundreds of books, newspapers and magazines apparently unacceptable to German authorities were banned in that country.

Nordbruch claimed about 1000 bookstores and publishers were subjected to police raids in April last year. Large numbers of files, computer disks and other material were confiscated.

»To punish and suppress an individual because of his opinion, we regard as methods of suppression of free speech which should only suit totalitarian regimes,« the petition said.

»It can certainly not be characteristic of... a state from
which its highest representatives pretend that it is the most free and constitutional state in German history ever.«

The petition implored the embassy to inform the German government about the group's concern.

»We ask you to make a strong effort for the suspension of jurisdiction which makes the elimination of freedom of speech possible. We ask for the release of the political prisoners in Germany.«

[Cited from: http://www.anc.org.za/anc/newsbrief/1997/news0530]