Jock Palfreeman is a young Australian currently serving a 20-year prison term for murder in Sofia, Bulgaria. Convicted in December 2009, Jock maintains his innocence.
Two documentaries have been produced on Jock’s case. The first, ‘One Night in Sofia’, was broadcast on ABC’s Foreign Correspondent in June 2009 [video]; the latest, ‘Conviction’, has just been broadcast on ABC’s Australian Story [Part One | Part Two]. The producer in both cases was Belinda Hawkins, who is also writing a book on Jock’s case.
You can obtain more infos on Jock’s case @ the Free Jock website. Currently, a petition is under way on the Get Up! website in support of Jock.
Please consider joining the campaign.
What’s the story with the Greek and Bulgarian anarchist comrades – apparently they reckon that Jock is guilty as fuck?
Better get the Killuminati Seven Day Theory Party Takeover Australia (KSDTPTA) on to it.
Says who? I’m aware of only one group that has made any statement to that effect: the (Bulgarian) FAB. I wrote about it some time ago.
As for the KSDTPTA, I understand that they’ve undergone a series of damaging splits in the last few seconds/minutes/hours/days/weeks/months.
says Mutiny ‘zine
Really? Which #?
ah fuck now I’ll have to dig out the hard copies… found it #54
JP writing about his frameup –
“FAB are pigdogs”
“in Greece it worked- they fell for it. Traitors!”
Yeah OK. I got that # lying around somewhere…
Not knowing Bulgarian, and having only sporadic contact w @s and other radicals in Bulgaria, I can’t be too sure exactly what the situation is. In any event, I remember the FAB (or someone acting on their behalf etc.) intervening in some disco on Athens Indymedia re the possibility of soli actions in Greece inre Jock’s case. This was unfortunate, but the anti-fascist, anarchist and radical movements in Greece are (relatively) large, combative and fairly heterogeneous so I dunno if their blah had much of an effect. Contacts in Greece suggest not, and that there’s a fair amount of sympathy and support for Jock in them there parts. Not knowing Greek, I’m obv still at quite a disadvantage, but in general it seems that Jock’s case is slowly building a profile among var publics in neighbouring countries (such as Greece) and elsewhere in Europe…
Beyond this — and again I can only surmise this — I understand that the FAB has adopted this position partly for pragmatic reasons. That is, any indication of support for Jock would mean that they’d become a target for fascist retribution and, being small and politically weak, they’ve chosen not to do this. Of course, they could have simply chosen to refrain from commenting on the case; the fact that they’ve joined w the political establishment in denouncing him – while also failing to seriously examine the facts surrounding Jock’s case — begs some fairly provocative questions. Further, the FAB is a member of the IFA, and support from other members would be useful. That said, there’s an abundance of other orgs and individuals in a position to act, and many will.
So don’t jump in and help someone being beaten to death is probably what one should do BUT go in and support a fellow human fucking being and this shit happens… the cunts’ beating up on a ‘gypsy’ (another human being actually) and a bloke jumps in to try and do his bit… that’s what i was brought up on, supporting others in need etc. if he had not done anything then those cunts would be inside for murder… fucking makes me sick, and yet someone climbs in ya window in the USA and you can shoot the cunt… and get off… farkkkkkkkkkkkk it’s all a joke…
Also relevant:
http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2011/06/481406.html
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Today’s (28 July) decision of the Bulgarian Court to turn down the Palfreeman’s appeal is a just one. All you bleeding hearts should take a head-ache powder and have a good lie down. It’s very self-satisfying to take on a cause you know very little about. Now you will have to find another cause to fight. His father charged over to Bulgaria with his money and was going to show those inferior Bulgarians a thing or two. He has learnt that money (ie, the best lawyers) and treating the Bulgarian officials as fools doesn’t work. Palfreeman comes across as a spoilt little rich boy who has been indulged all his life. Daddy now will have to fork over $330,000 for his son’s moment of madness. Is stabbing an un-armed person in the back self-defense?
G’day “Bob”,
A few points.
1. I’ve followed the case quite closely.
2. Others are free to interpret Simon Palfreeman’s behaviour however they wish, but I read it as a father assisting his son in a criminal trial, one in which the available evidence suggests that the court decision was wrongful. Simon has never stated that Bulgarian officials are fools; quite the contrary, his statements have been very measured: quite a feat, given the circumstances. Further, anyone who cares to examine the case more closely will realise that your portrayal of the situation is facetious and plainly wrogn.
3. Again: others are free to view Jock Palfreeman in whatever light they wish; the available evidence suggests that his conviction for ‘murder with hooliganism’ is unjust.
4. Is stabbing an un-armed person in the back self-defense? When did you stop beating your wife?
PS. The claim that Monov was stabbed “in the back” is factually incorrect according to the forensic report.
Wrong. His father says it was high and under the shoulder blade. Still stabbed in the back though…