Fighters+Lovers
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Fighters+Lovers is a controversial group consisting of 7 Danish people. The group has made a clothing company, brand and record label[1] which sells controversial T-shirts, perfumes and CDs[2]. The t-shirts feature logos of the FARC and the PFLP. These groups have been labeled by the United States Government and the European Union as terrorist organizations. The company sold the t-shirts and collected 24.982 DKK (about 5000$) and they were going to send the money to a radio station run by FARC and a printing press run by PFLP, however the money never made it to these groups because the police arrested the 7 people in February 2006 and withheld the funds[3].
On November 5, 2007 the group released a CD for sale called "Cumbia Clash – from the jungle to the streets"[4] with songs supporting the FARC in techno/cumbia. During the event members of the company accused the President of Colombia, Álvaro Uribe of imposing an illegal government.[5]
Court cases
The seven members of Fighters+Lovers were accused by the Danish Prosecution Service of violating the European Union's anti-terrorism laws. On December 13 2007 all seven accused were acquitted of the charges[6][7][8]. The case was appealed to the second highest court in Denmark Landsretten, the judges found 6 of the seven guilty in supporting terrorist organizations, one was found innocent. Two were sentenced to 6 months in Prison, two others got 4 months suspended sentences and two got a 60 days suspended sentence.[9][10][11].
The groups lawyer Thorkild Høyer told the press[12] that he would try and appeal the case to the Danish high court Højesteret.
Latest news in the case, is that they have just been granted permission by Procesbevillingsnævnet to appeal the verdict to the supreme court.[1]
Criticism
The case against Fighters+Lovers has been criticised in Denmark for its cost. So far the price of the court cases has exceeded 1 mio DKK (US$ 200.000) which seems out of proportion given the fact that the amount to be sent was only 25.000 DKK (US$ 5000)[13]
Reaction in Colombia
The Colombian magazine Revista Semana rejected the support Fighters + Lovers is giving the FARC alleging that the FARC as a terrorist organization has continuously violated International humanitarian law and Human rights. The magazine also mentioned that the organization ignored the reality of Colombia by supporting a group that kidnaps, extorts, assassinates, steals, participates in the illegal drug trade, arms trafficking, forcedly recruitment of children and women among other systematic violations of Human rights[5].
Support
The group behind Fighters+Lovers has gotten support from Horserød-Stutthof Foreningen who include former members of the Danish resistance movement. When the Danish terror-law was first implemented they sent 1000DKK (US$ 200) to FARC and informed the Ministry of Justice of Denmark that they had done so, later they also sent the same amount to PFLP in support of Fighters+Lovers. So far with no reaction from the Ministry of Justice[14], either because the principal case against Fighters+Lovers is still ongoing or because the Danish resistance movement is widely popular in Denmark and a court case against them would be much harder given their status as freedom fighters.
References
- ^ Template:En iconFighters+Lovers About page
- ^ Template:Da iconTemplate:En icon Fighters+Lovers official homepage
- ^ Template:Da icon Denmarks Radio on the case against Fighters+Lovers
- ^ Template:En icon Fighersandlovers.com Cumbia Clash - music for fighters and lovers
- ^ a b Template:Es icon Revista Semana: Just what we needed: Danish launched cumbias with themes favoring FARC
- ^ Template:En icon Reuters: Danish T-shirt group acquitted of funding terrorism. December 13, 2007
- ^ Template:Da icon Politiken: Syv frifundet for støtte til terror
- ^ Template:Da icon Domstol.dk: Dom i T-shirt - fightersandlovers-sagen
- ^ Template:Da icon Domstol.dk press release on the t-shirt case
- ^ Template:Da icon Politiken.dk, Fighters+Lovers sentenced for support of terror
- ^ Template:Da icon Fightersandlovers.org Fighters+Lovers sentenced and acquitted
- ^ Template:Da icon Politiken, Fighters+Lovers vil anke til højesteret
- ^ Template:Da icon Politiken: Sag om terrorstøtte koster kassen
- ^ Template:Da icon Avisen.dk Ok for resistance movement to give money to FARC