Politicians attend trial of Irish activist in Germany

A cross-party delegation of seven Irish politicians traveled to Stuttgart, Germany, to attend the trial of five activists, known as the 'Ulm5.' The activists, including Daniel Tatlow‑Devally from Dublin, were arrested last September after allegedly damaging equipment and spray-painting walls at the German office of Elbit Systems, an Israeli firm supplying weapons systems to the Israeli Defense Forces.

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This is a show trial. It is a political trial where they [the defendants] are not actually receiving justice.

The five defendants, hailing from Ireland, Germany, Spain, and the UK, face charges under Section 129 of the German criminal code. These include trespassing, destruction of property valued at approximately €1 million, and membership in an illegal organization. At the trial, which commenced in April, the defendants are held in handcuffs and separated from their legal counsel by a glass screen.

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There are glass partitions where the defendants are being brought in, in handcuffs; they can’t communicate with their defence [lawyers].

Richard Boyd Barrett, a TD from People Before Profit, characterized the proceedings as a "show trial" and a "political trial" where justice is not being served. He highlighted the stark contrast between the conditions for the Ulm5 defendants and those in a concurrent gun crime case within the same building, where defendants sit alongside their lawyers. Being charged under Section 129 signifies they are considered a threat to society, preventing bail.

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Being charged under Section 129 means the five defendants are considered a threat to society and that bail cannot be granted.

The Irish delegation, which also includes representatives from Sinn Féin, the Labour Party, Fine Gael, and the Social Democrats, is urging the Irish government to send observers to the hearings. Boyd Barrett expressed shock at the prosecution of the activists as "dangerous criminals" and criticized their ten-month detention without bail. The politicians intend to advocate for the dropping of all charges, asserting the activists were acting against war crimes and genocide.

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It is outrageous that they are being kept in prison for ten months rather than being let out on bail while they are on trial.