Climate activists

Amnesty concerned about “criminalization”

"Protest is allowed to disrupt, sometimes it even has to," emphasizes Amnesty International.(Bild: APA/LETZTE GENERATION OESTERREICH)

The recent prison sentences imposed on climate activists in Vienna have not only caused outrage among their fellow campaigners. The human rights organization Amnesty International is also concerned.

In a press release on Friday, the NGO referred to the "growing tendency of politicians and administrators to criminalize activists and thus prevent a certain form of protest". Peaceful protest, however, is covered by the freedom of assembly, criticized Amnesty. 

Amnesty insists on freedom of assembly
Freedom of assembly is a human right to which Austria has committed itself, emphasized ai expert Charlotte Deiss. She emphasized that this also includes actions in the tradition of civil disobedience - "even if politicians, authorities and some members of the public don't like to hear it". 

In the past few days, the "Last Generation" climate protection movement announced that activists in Vienna had been given primary prison sentences. Prison sentences are imposed directly instead of fines - without prior court proceedings. Amnesty International rejects such administrative detention "in principle, as there is a risk that fair and constitutional court proceedings will be circumvented", it said.

"Protest must be disruptive"
"The fact that the Ministry of the Interior proudly announces the high number of arrests of climate activists and emphasizes that such actions will continue to be prohibited and ended as quickly as possible and that administrative penalties will be imposed also fuels the public perception that protesters are to be seen and treated like criminals," said Deiss. "Protest is allowed to disrupt, sometimes it even has to."