ACTIVIST’S FATHER WALKING TO BERLIN WITH 100,000 SIGNATURES TO “DEMAND JUSTICE FOR HIS CHILD” JAILED IN BUDAPEST ~ Alisa-Ece Tohumcu ~ Solidarity actions have been taking place over the last days with Maja T, a non-binary anti-fascist activist and one of the accused in the Budapest case. Maja, who has been on hunger strike since June 5, was transferred Tuesday to a prison hospital near the Romanian border in critical condition. According to relatives, they have lost around twelve kilograms of weight. Their 2024 extradition from Germany to Hungary was ruled unlawful by the Federal Constitutional Court in April, but Maja remains in pre-trial detention under what supporters describe as “white torture”: solitary confinement, 24-hour surveillance, denial of hormone therapy, and restricted communication. Demonstrations have been held in Berlin, Dresden, Vienna, Düsseldorf, Jena, and beyond. On June 25, members of the Free Maja support network disrupted the Saxon State Parliament, demanding that Minister President Michael Kretschmer (CDU) act on the court ruling. He later dismissed the protest, saying his policies were “for the middle class.” Daily noise demonstrations followed outside the Saxon State Chancellery on July 1 and 2. “We’ll keep going until Maja is back with us,” declared the Antifascist Solidarity Committee Dresden. Activists blame Kretschmer’s government for enabling the extradition and maintaining ties with Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party. Maja is one of several anti-fascists charged in connection with an attack on Budapest’s February 2023 “Day of Honour,” an annual neo-Nazi gathering. They were arrested in Berlin in December 2023 and extradited the following July—before their legal appeal concluded—which critics say violates both German constitutional standards and the European Convention on Human Rights. Maja’s father, Wolfram Jarosch, has begun walking over 300 kilometres from Jena to Berlin. He is carrying a petition with 100,000 signatures, demanding intervention from the German Foreign Ministry. “Every day in prison is a risk to my child’s life,” he said. “Political inaction puts Maja in direct danger.” Demonstration in Chemnitz for Maja T In Schwelm, activists damaged a Deutsche Bank branch on June 22, citing the bank’s role in global arms funding. On July 2, militants sprayed graffiti the CDU’s Hamburg headquarters, blaming the party for enabling Maja’s detention. “We won’t rest until Maja is back with us”. they wrote. Maja’s own words, shared in a smuggled letter, have been cited widely: “Solidarity gives me the strength to continue fighting, not only for better prison conditions in Hungary, but for the freedom of all political prisoners”. Further demonstrations and organising meetings are planned, including a public event in Dresden on July 7. The post Solidarity actions with hunger-striking antifascist Maja T appeared first on Freedom News.

OTHER EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS HAVE REFUSED TO HONOUR EXTRADITION REQUESTS FROM HUNGARY FOR ANTIFASCIST ACTIVISTS, CITING CONCERNS FOR THEIR SAFETY AND WELLBEING ~ punkacademic ~ Antifascist Maja T today began a hunger strike protesting their treatment by Hungarian judicial authorities since their extradition from Germany last year. Whilst in custody in Hungary, Maja, who identifies as non-binary, has been subjected to inhumane conditions, including several months of constant video surveillance, persistent solitary confinement, and ‘intimate searches’ during which they have been forced to undress. Visits have been sporadic, food has been inadequate, and their cell is plagued with bedbugs and cockroaches. Maja has been in pretrial detention in Hungary since June 2024. In a statement released by the Budapest Antifascist Solidarity Committee they stated they are “no longer prepared to endure this intolerable situation and wait for a decisions from a justice system that has systematically violated my rights over last few months”. Maja was due to receive a judicial ruling on Wednesday (4th June) as to whether their pretrial detention would be converted to house arrest, only for the hearing to be postponed until the 20th, triggering the decision to go on hunger strike. Maja’s extradition was based on a European Arrest Warrant issued by Hungarian authorities for an alleged attack on neo-Nazis at the far-right ‘Day of Honour’ commemoration in Budapest in 2023. The event is an annual commemoration of an attempt by members of the Waffen-SS and Hungarian collaborators to break a Red Army siege towards the conclusion of the Second World War. Maja was extradited despite the intervention of the German Federal Constitutional Court, which had concerns with regard to Maja’s potential treatment. The extradition was initially ruled on by the Berlin regional court, with the German authorities expediting Maja’s transfer before the Federal Constitutional Court was able to rule on an injunction. In January, Maja was offered a plea deal carrying a fourteen year jail sentence. As it stands, they face up to twenty-four years in prison. Maja’s arrest, extradition, and current plight exist in a context of a clampdown on antifascist action in Germany, particularly in the East. Maja was pursued by the SoKo LinX taskforce of the Saxon Criminal Police, and transferred in the middle of the night despite a pending injunction, with the attendance of riot police and counter-terrorism officers despite (as the Saxon authorities later admitted) no credible threat. Other European governments have refused to honour extradition requests from Hungary for antifascist activists, citing concerns for their safety and wellbeing. Hungary’s persecution of the LGBTQ+ community was today condemned by a senior legal scholar at the European Court of Justice. Hungary in 2022 was downgraded by the EU Parliament from a democracy to an authoritarian state, but continues to have access to the European Arrest Warrant system. These wider concerns are echoed by Maja, who in their declaration concluded that “no more people should be extradited to Hungary”. A further activist, Zaid from Nuremberg, remains under threat of extradition. The post Antifascist Maja T. on hunger strike to protest “inhumane” prison conditions appeared first on Freedom News.

JUDGE CITES “RISKS OF VIOLATIONS OF GUARANTEED RIGHTS” TO FREEDOM FROM TORTURE AND TO A FAIR TRIAL IN BUDAPEST ~ Scott Harris ~ The extradition chamber of the Paris Court of Appeal today (9 April) rejected the extradition to Hungary of Rexhino “Gino” Abazaj, a 32-year-old Albanian anti-fascist wanted for alleged violence against neo-Nazis in Budapest. Arrested in November 2024, he was already released in late March under judicial supervision, which has now been lifted. The activist would have faced up to 24 years in prison if extraticted, in a case which sparked a widespread mobilisation from activists as well as unions and politicians. The president of the court cited “risks of violations” of the rights guaranteed by articles of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), relating to the prohibition of torture and the right to a fair trial. Gino hailed the decision as “very positive”, for himself as well as other activists. “There are other anti-fascists wanted by Hungary, others in prison, but France has shown today that it must not be subjected to the demands of an authoritarian and neo-fascist country like Hungary” he said. Gino’s arrest stems from his alleged involvement in clashes during the far right “Day of Honour” gathering in Budapest in 2023. Seventeen other anti-fascists have been arrested in the case, including Italian MEP Ilaria Salis who spent 15 months in pre-trial detention, Maja T who was extradited to Hungary last year, and Johann G, arrested in November. In January, seven more anti-fascists wanted in the case turned themselves in. While Hungarian authorities accuse anti-fascists of participating in a “criminal organisation” and committing violent acts., neo-Nazi participants in the same clashes were released without prosecution. During Gino’s case, Hungary’s vague assurances about detention conditions and trial fairness drew sharp criticism, and the defence cited grim reports of “white torture” in Hungarian prisons, including permanent solitary confinement and 24-hour surveillance. Gino could still be arrested if he travels to other European countries, and supporters will now aim to cancel the European arrest warrant issued at the request of Viktor Orbán’s government. The post French court rejects antifascist Gino extradition to Hungary appeared first on Freedom News.

THE DEFENCE CITED GRIM REPORTS OF “WHITE TORTURE” IN HUNGARIAN PRISONS, INCLUDING PERMANENT SOLITARY CONFINEMENT AND 24-HOUR SURVEILLANCE ~ Alisa-Ece Tohumcu ~ After five months in Fresnes Prison, Rexhino “Gino” Abazaj, a 32-year-old Albanian anti-fascist activist, was released under judicial supervision yesterday (26 March). Arrested in Montreuil in November 2024, he faces up to 24 years in prison if extradited to Hungary for alleged violence against neo-Nazis. His case, which has sparked a widespread mobilisation from activists, unions, and politicians, will be decided by the Paris Court of Appeal on April 9. Gino’s arrest stems from his alleged involvement in clashes during the far right “Day of Honour” gathering in Budapest in 2023. Seventeen other anti-fascists have been arrested in the case, including Italian MEP Ilaria Salis who spent 15 months in pre-trial detention, and Maja T who was extradited to Hungary last year. In January, seven anti-fascists wanted in the case turned themselves in. During yesterday’s hearing, prosecutors questioned the feasibility of house arrest due to issues with Gino’s housing documentation. However, his legal team defended the arrangement and presented a job offer as further proof of stability. Gino himself addressed the court, expressing the strength of his support network.  After deliberation, the court ruled in his favour, granting release without electronic monitoring. While Hungarian authorities accuse anti-fascists of participating in a “criminal organisation” and committing violent acts., neo-Nazi participants in the same clashes were released without prosecution. Hungary’s vague assurances about detention conditions and trial fairness have also drawn sharp criticism. The defence cited grim reports of “white torture” in Hungarian prisons, including permanent solitary confinement and 24-hour surveillance. The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture has documented overcrowding, inhumane conditions, and systemic abuse. Hungary’s judiciary, weakened under Viktor Orbán’s rule, faces mounting EU criticism. The 2016 dismissal of a judge who criticised judicial reforms and ongoing protests by Hungarian magistrates highlight deep concerns about political interference in legal processes. “There is an obvious lack of separation of powers,” Gino’s lawyers argued, adding that France must not become complicit in an unfair political prosecution. “The charges are disproportionate. The process is unfair. The risks are real,” declared the Committee for the Liberation of Gino. “France must refuse this extradition.” Outside the courthouse, supporters repeated the chant: “Free Gino! Free Maja! Free all antifas!” Video and top photo: Milan, 1 March The post Antifascist Gino released ahead of extradition judgement appeared first on Freedom News.

TELEVISED APPEAL AND SURVEILLANCE OPERATION PRECEDED THE ARREST, AS AUTHORITIES CLAMP DOWN ON ALLEGED ASSOCIATES IN THE ANTIFA EAST AND BUDAPEST CASES ~ Juju Alerta ~ Antifascist activist Johann G. (31) was arrested in Thuringia on Friday by the fugitive squad of the Saxony State Criminal Police Office, media reported. The arrest is said to have taken place on a regional train near Weimar. Johann G. had been underground for four years and was the most wanted ‘left-wing extremist’ sought by the authorities, alongside fugitive former RAF members Burkhard Garweg, Ernst-Volker Staub, and the recently captured Daniela Klette. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office recently offered up to €10,000 for information leading to his capture. Authorities consider Johann G. to be the leader of the group surrounding the already convicted Leipzig antifascist Lina E., his former fiancée. The group is said to have carried out several serious attacks on right-wing extremists since 2018, initially in Saxony and Thuringia. Lina E. and three other antifascists were arrested at the end of 2020 and sentenced to prison terms of up to five years and three months in May 2023. Johann G. had previously been convicted of politically-linked offences and had served prison time. After being released on probation in early 2020, he disappeared. Solidarity demonstration in Germany. Photo: Indymedia.de The Saxony State Criminal Police and the Federal Criminal Police had issued wanted posters and called for the public’s help on a television program. Initially, investigators suspected him to be in Thailand and other European countries, but at least at one point, he was believed to be back in Germany. ALLEGED CONNECTION TO BUDAPEST CASE According to media reports, his arrest on 8 November was facilitated by long-term surveillance of an activist classified as a ‘contact person’. For years, leftist groups in Thuringia and Saxony have been subjected to a multitude of extensive repression and surveillance measures, which do not even spare the families of the accused.  The arrest comes as part of a broader offensive against antifascist structures, which includes the arrest of anti-fascist Thomas J., also known as “Nanuk”, in Berlin on Monday 21 October and the “night and fog” deportation to Hungary on 28 June of activist Maja T. Investigators have constructed a “criminal organisation” under § 129 of the German Penal Code, allowing them to scrutinise and criminalise not only the accused but also their entire environment.  Even after Lina E.’s arrest, Johann G. is said to have participated in attacks on right-wing extremists, for example, in February 2023 in Budapest, where neo-Nazis had gathered for a large European rally. Two autonomous left activists from Berlin were arrested on-site. Ten other German antifascists subsequently went underground, and the Federal Prosecutor’s Office and Hungarian authorities have been searching for them since then. In December 2023, one of the wanted individuals, Maja T., was captured in Berlin. The non-binary antifascist has since been extradited to Budapest. In May, police arrested Hanna S. from Nuremberg, who is also accused of participating in the attacks in Budapest. However, she had not gone underground and is now facing charges in Munich.       The post Fugitive antifascist Johann G. arrested on train in Germany appeared first on Freedom News.

SOLIDARITY ACTIONS BEING ORGANISED WITH “NANUK”, ACCUSED OF ATTACKING NAZIS IN SAXONY ~ Jay Alerta ~ Anti-fascist Thomas J., also referred to as “Nanuk”, was arrested by investigators from the Saxony State Criminal Police Office in Berlin on Monday 21 October, reported German media. Following his arrest, he was brought before a judge in Karlsruhe and has been in custody since then. In addition, two houses were searched in Berlin-Kreuzberg and Berlin-Mitte. State authorities are currently searching for several anti-fascists in hiding. These are said to be connected to the “Antifa Ost” case – in which a group of antifascists have been sentenced to prison terms for attacks on Nazis since 2019. Nanuk is also alleged to have participated in the 2019 attack on the Federal Court of Justice in Leipzig. Initially, investigations regarding the Leipzig attack focused on Section 129a (membership in a terrorist organization), which allows for expanded investigative powers such as secretly searching chat histories on smartphones or bugging apartments, as already happened in the Antifa Ost case. However, this case was closed in June and individual charges of arson and property damage referred to the public prosecutor’s office. Coming shortly after the deportation to Hungary of antifascist Maja T, this investigation reflects a new dimension of repression targeting individuals involved in anti-fascist movements. Also connected to the Budapest case is the arrest of anti-fascist Hanna in Nuremberg this May. In her case, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office is now trying to fabricate a charge of attempted murder because she is said to have participated in attacks on fascists during a counter-demonstration on the occasion of the annual “Day of Honor” in Budapest. In the wake of Nanuk’s arrest, anti-fascist groups have organised solidarity demonstrations in several German cities. The solidarity group of the Antifa Ost trial stated that state authorities were trying to “use the horseshoe theory to equate our comrades with the Nazis who were attacked”. The solidarity group sent “strength to all those who successfully evade the authorities, to all those behind bars and those outside who continue to fight for the ideas that the state tries to suppress.” The post Antifascist in hiding arrested in Berlin appeared first on Freedom News.

OFFICIAL LETTER REVEALS EXTENT AND SPEED OF OPERATION TO EXTRADITE QUEER ANTIFASCIST TO HUNGARY, DESPITE INJUNCTION APPEAL ~ Kit Dimou ~ The authorities in the German state of Saxony “could hardly wait to extradite” antifascist activist Maja T to queer-hostile and authoritarian Hungary, say supporters. According to responses received from the Saxon State Ministry of the Interior, and published by the Anarchist Black Cross, the authorities went into expensive and elaborate cooperation over the extradition, despite an application for a temporary injunction,  of this order final appeal to the Federal Constitutional Court. According to ABC Dresden, “It is reasonable to assume that this personnel effort was primarily aimed at extraditing Maja as quickly as possible and without attracting attention, leaving neither room nor time for interruptions”. Maja T faces 24 years imprisonment in Hungary. The non-binary activist was arrested in Berlin in December 2023, and charged for allegedly forming a “criminal organisation”, in connection with attacks on a neo-Nazi rally in Budapest in February 2023. They were held in extradition custody in Dresden prison before being taken across the border on 28 June in what supporters called a “night and fog” operation. The letter reveals that the Saxony Interior Ministry Police (LKA) “and the originally responsible Berlin authorities…have been in close contact…since the arrest of the person concerned”. For the extradition itself, it also provided so-called “external forces” including riot police and the anti-terror department (!) of the Saxony police. Despite alleged “danger aspects” and “expected disruptions to the extradition”, the and they openly admit that there was “no concrete evidence of an actual threat situation.” “Maja’s extradition is by no means legally motivated and justified, but exclusively politically motivated”, said supporters, citing “the unbelievable extent of personnel and official cooperation and at this speed”, even overlooking an urgent application with the Federal Constitutional Court. “The authorities were aware of the urgent application and knew that the outcome of the application was uncertain. They therefore deliberately decided to ignore it and deport Maja in the middle of the night”, said ABC Dresden, “Thus, the repression against anti-fascism in Maja’s case in Germany reached new, monstrous proportions overnight and just like that”. The post Maja T deportation: Saxony police mobilised anti-terrorist forces with “no concrete evidence” appeared first on Freedom News.