eee
case
Preparations are being made for an appeal by the ae ae
sat imprisoned victims of the second of South a he plese triele held since last Spetember, The trial of ot ae repiater d his ten co-defendants concluded on April 15 this = a a ae "sabotage! act the defendants were originally broug! Sh tee th cee, Evidence soon emerged of intimidated eoeaagapnt rer onder’ of prisoners. A prosecution witness, Cecil Demps OF pga oe le olice told him to deny his presence in Cape Province during — +s eitpaae against the defence stated: "my evidence was instructed by police,"
Defendant, Marcus Solomons, told the court he had been, cae "punched" by the police during interrogation, After a postponement o e trial until Februaury, during which time the male prisoners were taken to Robbin Island, thus complicating the prisoners! defence arranrements, 'justice' resumed its progress. The prosecutiints case rested on the fact that the prieoners organised the National Liberation Front. Their study of marxist works «14 books on guerilla warfare was the alleged proof of a conspiracy, Judge van Heerden, blandly conceded no actual deeds of sabotage had been committed, all that was involved was the expressions of ideas,
Dr. Alexander and three co-defendants, including Solomons, each received 10 year sentences, Two others were sentenced to seven years in prison, the rest, one of whom was Alexander's sister, were given five year sentences. The defence is faced with serious difficulties concerning their appeal. The costs involved are guite beyond their om financial resources, Supporters of human rights in South Africa are debarred from organising an active campaign for defence funds. Such activity would make them liable to arrest under the "sabotage! laws,
Much of the defence costs were raised by West German students! organ= isations, Dr. Alexander after graduating at Cape Town took a doctorate at Tibingen University and is well-known in Germen academic circles. Follow= ing his arrest over 1,000 students wrote an open letter to UNO Secretary, U Thant, asking him to intervene in the case. Various students! organisations in West Germany sent more than £2,000 for the defence, We must now hope that similar efforts can be made here in Britain to help to finance the Appeal,