This Thursday, May 30, our colleague Anasse Kazib was tried at the Paris judicial court. The railway worker and spokesperson for the organization Révolution Permanente, part of the International Network La Izquierda Diairo, had been prosecuted for a speech given on February 9, 2022 at the Place du Panthéon, after the cancellation of an event that was going to take place. at the Sorbonne and which was suspended at the request of small far-right groups.
Anasse Kazib was convicted this Thursday, accused of “organizing an undeclared demonstration” and fined 1,500 euros, while the prosecution had requested six months in prison and a fine of more than 7,000 euros.
“It is a scandalous and very political decision,” denounced Elsa Marcel, Anasse Kazib’s lawyer, at the end of the hearing. A decision announced by Ariane Anemoyannis, student and member of Révolution Permanente, during the solidarity demonstration in front of the court, which provoked boos from the many supporters present: “it is crazy, they condemn a spokesperson for a political organization and an activist union for having spoken in front of a university against the extreme right. “It is unacceptable.
🔴 SCANDAL: ANASSE KAZIB IS CONVICTED
In court, Ariane A. announces that justice has decided to follow the prosecutor’s requisitions, by condemning @AnasseKazib for the solidarity speeches against the far-right held in front of the Sorbonne in 2022. A… pic.twitter.com/jTwtBPqofi
— Permanent Revolution (@RevPermanente) May 30, 2024
The sentence takes place a few weeks after Kazib was summoned by the Police for supposedly “apology of terrorism” for his support for the struggle of the Palestinian people. This is a resource that the French Government has begun to use against social, union and political leaders to intimidate and censor any show of support for Gaza in the face of the genocide of the State of Israel.
Upon leaving the court, Kazib said, “The judge bowed to the extreme right. This is part of the repressive campaign against trade unionists and activists for Palestine. We will never close our mouths against the extreme right and against genocide.”
🔴 ANASSE KAZIB REACTS TO CONVICT
“The judge bowed to the extreme right. It is a conviction which is part of the repressive relentlessness against trade unionists, activists for Palestine, … We will never shut our mouths against the ext -right and genocide 🇵🇸” pic.twitter.com/qxPz8vwuYj
— Permanent Revolution (@RevPermanente) May 30, 2024
This sentence constitutes a clear attempt to intimidate the spokesperson of a national political organization. By condemning Anasse Kazib, the French State also attacks an activist who worked to coordinate workers’ sectors to carry out a general strike during the fight against the pension reform. Recently, Kazib was on the front line of enforcing the right to protest for Palestine and was also involved in organizing a massive railway workers’ strike on May 21 demanding wages and bonuses for workers during the upcoming Olympics.
The ruling comes while this Tuesday a journalist from Révolution Permanente was also summoned by the anti-terrorist police, although the interrogation was finally postponed, with the clear objective of increasing pressure against Révolution Permanente. It also occurs at a time when another of our colleagues, a worker in the baking industry, Christian Porta, is suffering brutal union repression.
These methods of pressure and intimidation are becoming widespread against the labor movement and the social movement, as we have seen in recent months in the context of the repression of the movement for Palestine, but also of the judicial repression against leaders and spokespersons of the CGT. Faced with the offensive, 28 political and union organizations called to mobilize in front of the court this Thursday in support of Anasse Kazib.
🔴 FROM THE WORLD IN SUPPORT @ANASSEKAZIB BEFORE THE TRIBUNAL
28 organizations called to come and support the railway worker and RP spokesperson, who was on trial this morning for speeches against the far-right held in front of the Sorbonne after a campaign of intimidation. pic.twitter.com/gVedfLJ0k4
— Permanent Revolution (@RevPermanente) May 30, 2024
Among the organizations present were several that are also affected by state repression and persecution, from La France Insoumise (by Jean Luc Melenchon) to the CGT Energie Paris, including the UD CGT 75, the NPA, the Collectif Palestine Vaincra, the AFA-Paris Banlieue or the Jeune Garde.
Also present was the philosopher and intellectual Frederic Lordon, who spoke during the event after learning of the sentence.
🔴 FREDERIC LORDON IN SUPPORT OF ANASSE KAZIB
“In what kind of country are people summoned for anti-fascist gatherings while fascists parade courteously accompanied by the police? Let the trade union organizations live up to their responsibility… pic.twitter.com/FpjyRgYPBG
— Permanent Revolution (@RevPermanente) May 30, 2024
This solidarity is essential, and expresses the only possible response to the hardening of the regime.
Anasse Kazib announced that he will appeal this decision, which constitutes a serious precedent against the right to demonstrate and against opposition political organizations.
Although solidarity was important this Thursday, with 28 organizations calling to mobilize and numerous supports before the Paris judicial court, we have to redouble the solidarity campaign with Kazib and confront the repression that is being widely unleashed against the unions, the labor movement , social and political organizations and the movement in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Source: www.laizquierdadiario.com
