(en) France, Alternative Libertaire AL #241 - Metz: Delays at SNCF: blame Fouad! (fr, pt)

 [machine translation]

March 30, 2006, in Metz, in full battle against the CPE, more than 800 people block the 
Metz station for over an hour, before moving to a road junction. This is where the police 
decide to question Fouad Harjane activist CNT. This is the beginning of more than eight 
years of judicial harassment which Fouad is still not out. ---- Held in 2006 with other 
young activists participating in a lock station on the CPE, Fouad, a member of the CNT 
Messina, scoop EUR 150 fines. After some legal incidents (call, invitation not 
received...), it is ultimately criminally convicted in January 2012 to 300 EUR fine. This 
decision opens the door for a civil trial held on March 23 2013 The Civil Division is 
claiming 39 534, EUR 45 for damages and EUR 800 in court costs. Damages, it is claimed 
that the railway at the rate of "5729 minutes" of delays caused to a "hourly cost of EUR 
414.06." One militant is ordered to pay more than EUR 40,000 for a legitimate and 
necessary action will be attended by over 800 people. Therefore a political trial, to try 
to counter the social movements and hope and dashing hopes and desires for the struggles 
ahead. That's what Fouad argues on appeal, with the help of his lawyer Ralph Blindauer. 
But that's not all, campaign messages to the train starts to put pressure on the carrier.

On 11 October 2013, the SNCF denounced the appeal on the grounds that it was filed "out of 
time". But wisely, counsel for Fouad filed yesterday a QPC (Priority Question of 
Constitutionality) that can point to a contradiction between the existing law and 
constitutional principles. The lawyer believes that access to the courts (constitutional 
law) would be hampered by the limits prescribed in the Penal Code. This technical aspect 
was addressed November 8, 2013 and the Court of Appeal held admissible January 10 2014 A 
new hearing is scheduled Sept. 12, 2014.

Since this procedure is primarily aimed at silencing those who struggle and to create 
jurisprudence to pay incurred by businesses genes, a massive mobilization must accompany 
this new trial. Several actions are planned in Metz in court and in stations in several 
large cities of France. Fouad should not become a scapegoat for the social struggle.

Damien (AL Moselle)

To support Fouad information here: https://www.facebook.com/events/504652932998627/