If they win the case has to begin all over again in Kisangani. That will take months and of course be the same nonsense as the previous two times. It’s been said that the verdict itself can’t be changed in the Supreme Court; the only thing they are going to determine is if any procedural errors has been made. In that case it will be new court proceedings. The whole case is just one big mistake. The investigation, procedures and everything else is 100% amateurish. Evidence fraud, absolutely no control, the prosecutor and the judges being bullies, pure racism, violations of medical treatment, torture, human rights violations, judges falling asleep in court but then sentencing people to death anyways. Hopefully this misery has to end eventually. Norwegians who have watched these “trials” partly in live coverage, are in chock! Is it really possible?
Word says that the Supreme Court will start the case in May or June. If there is going to be a new trial in Kisangani, 3 or 4 more months will probably go by. Will they make it that long without getting seriously ill again? If they do they are really lucky! Can they count on medical attention? Last time the doctor got arrested, and the Norwegian doctors didn’t get in to see them. The argument was that they were trying to poison them.
They were meant to be transferred to Kinshasa, that hasn’t happened. I think it is because the government has no control over Kisangani. Kisangani is probably controlled by a local junta. The amount of influence Kinshasa has over it is uncertain.
If the Foreign Ministry doesn’t insert a sharp offensive to get them out as soon as the Supreme Court makes their decision I don’t think they will get out alive. Time is working against them, and the situation is only getting worse.
I think most Norwegians now understand what is going on. To the few who doesn’t I’d like to say: “You shall not accept so dearly well, the injustice that doesn’t affect yourself”.
Knut Moland, March 16th 2010
