After being accused of illegally attending the Congress in Jena, Cornelius was fined 600 DM. His refusal to pay the fine and 
his resolve never to pay for his right to freedom of movement and challenge the legality of the law brought about the first 
hearing. In the first hearing which also took place in the same court in Worbis, Eichsfeld District in the State of Thüringen, 
there were some controversies because of the way he was charged. (Specify exactly how he was charged). And there were 
proves of racially motivated decisions against Cornelius by the local foreigners' office. As a result, after two and half hours of 
hearing, the case was postponed indefinitely.

About three months later, the court offered to stop the case because of what it considers a Small Guilt (geringe schuld) on the 
condition that Cornelius takes care of his lawyer's fee. Cornelius refused this offer from the court because he wanted to be 
acquitted and not declared guilty in any form however small.

This phase of the trial of Cornelius has elevated the viciousness of the State in criminalising innocent refugees for exercising 
their natural rights to freedom of movement. This is because, now, private investigations are being carried out by the German 
State through the court in Worbis, to invite Cornelius' close German friends to testify against him in court given the 
contradictions and controversies which marked the first hearing.

The VOICE Africa Forum, on behalf of The Caravan-for the Rights of Refugees and Migrants appeals to all Human Rights 
Organisations, Anti-racists groups and all well-meaning individuals to stand for asylum rights and defend the rights of 
refugees to freedom of movement. We call for your support in the struggle to abolish this apartheid law in Germany. The 
covert but steady destruction of asylum rights in the guise of fighting terrorism must be resisted. We demand respect of our 
civil and social rights. We call for the immediate abolition of these laws that institutionalises racism in Germany. We warn that 
convicting Cornelius for his freedom of movement is a crime against humanity and against the European Union Charter which 
Germany is signatory to.

We hereby re-open the fax protest campaign which began at the start of the first hearing. Groups and individuals should 
please fax letters of protest to the court. Express your concern for the rights of refugees in Germany and protest against the 
trial. Call for a decision from the judge to set an example for the fight against institutionalised racism in Germany. Demand an 
acquittal for Cornelius and urge the Judge to set a positive precedence.

A Rally has been scheduled in front of the court during the hearing and after the court process a  Demonstration shall 
proceed through the City of Worbis. We invite everyone to show solidarity with Cornelius and defend the rights of refugees 
in Germany. The Rally begins at 9.O'clock. 
The court hearing begins at 10.00 O'clock on Thursday, 17th of January. Room 205.
 
Send protest fax to the Administrative Court in Worbis:

Amtsgericht Worbis
Ohmbergstraße 48
37339 Worbis 
Tel.: 0049 36074 76264
Fax: 0049 36074 / 76210
Attention:  403 Js 51861/00 1 Cs (Cornelius Yufanyi)

Foreign Office
District Administrative Office
Foreign Authority
Friedensplatz 8
37308 Heilbad Heilgenstadt
Tel.: 0049 3606 / 650-138
Fax.: 0049 33606 / 650-282

Donation is needed to support Free Movement Campaign and for court process against Cornelius Yufanyi. 

Donation Account Number: AK Asyl Göttingen, Code "Residenzpflicht" Sparkasse Göttingen,
KTO: 1077502, BLZ 26050001
 

THE VOICE AFRICA FORUM.
 

Background

From April 20th to May 1st, 2000 The International Refugee Congress took  place in Jena Thüringen with the Motto: Unite 
Against Deportation and Social Exclusion. It was co-ordinated and hosted by The VOICE Africa Forum under the auspices of 
the Caravan-for the rights of refuges and migrants. In the course of preparing the Congress, many members of The VOICE had 
to leave their various Camps in different parts of the country to participate in the preparation. While some members sought 
and obtained permissions to travel out of their local districts, majority of the active members were denied. As a result of this 
obstacle in the preparation, individual refugees and refugee groups attempted to secure permission to attend the Congress 
itself by engaging the support of various authorities and pressure groups while others attempted to obtain it by appealing to 
the courts against the decision to deny such permissions. The results of these various attempts were mixed. Some refugees 
were able to obtain permissions through the courts while others did not succeed inspite of the courts. Other refugees with the 
support letter from the Ausländerbeauftragte; Frau Marie-Louise Beck also got the permissions while very many other local 
foreigners' offices flatly ignored the support letter and insisted on not allowing the affected refugees to leave their localities. 
At the same time, some State Interior Ministers threatened to imprison any refugee who attended the Congress without a 
permission.

During the Congress, it became very clear to all the participants (about a thousand from 40 countries) that refugees were 
deliberately being denied the opportunity of participating in discussions which boarders on their
plight here in Germany as well as the situation in their home countries.Besides, it was observed that the restriction was a 
violation of our natural right to freedom of movement, it denies our right to free association and encroaches on our freedom of 
speech. Different workshops were organised throughout the 10 day Congress on the issue of restricting refugees to a 
particular locality. Led by the refugees  during the final general plenum, the Congress unanimously adopted the 
recommendation that a series of civil disobedience protests be carried out by refugees until the Law is abolished. 
Consequently, refugees resolved never to obey the law anymore and never to ask for permission to leave their localities. This 
marked the beginning of the campaign to abolish the Apartheid Pass Law (Residenzpflicht) in Germany.