Press Release: Initiative in Memory of Oury Jalloh, Berlin/Dessau 03-29-2005

MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES: REPATRIATION OF OURY JALLOH TEMPORARILY STOPPED. INDEPENDENT AUTOPSY TO TAKE PLACE THIS WEEK
The Initiative in Memory of Oury Jalloh makes know that—despite the lack of support from the State Attorney’s Office—a second autopsy will be carried out on the corpse of Oury alloh.

Declaration of the Initiative in Memory of Oury Jalloh:

An important step was taken last Saturday in informing the public about what happened on the 7th of January in the police station of Dessau. Nevertheless, the only hope of finding out the truth is by keeping up the pressure. It should be known that this is exactly what we are going to do.

We criticize the fact that hardly anybody from Dessau and very few Germans took part of the funeral or the demonstration. We ask ourselves if this is because Oury Jalloh was just another refugee to be deported.

In our opinion, the cover-up of this whole story is taking place on multiple levels and is being implemented by all authorities involved. Irregardless of what the investigations of a second autopsy may be, it is clear that everything is being done to hinder a clarification of what truly happened.

Here are some of the unanswered questions regarding the case of Oury Jalloh:

Our deep suspicion regarding the possibility of a completely drunk person who is chained
by his hands and feet can burn himself to death is already clear. Additionally, we ask:

- What type of material was the mattress made out of?

- How does it burn, how quickly and, above all, how much material is needed to produce a fire of 365 degrees Celsius?

- Where exactly was the mattress damaged“ and what procedures do the police have when such mattresses are damaged?

- Where is the mattress and how much of the mattress is still intact?

Furthermore, we are curious to know, since we assume that a police station is well equipped with video surveillance:

- Where are the video cameras?

- Where are the complete video tapes from the police station beginning at the time of Oury Jalloh’s being brought into the cell, his body search and finally his being chained hand and foot to the prison bed?

Other questions are:

- Where is the protocol from the fire department about their intervention and what does it say about Oury Jalloh and the conditions in the cell?

- How are the acoustics in the police station (from where can you hear the screams of a man who is being burned alive?)?

At a later date we will make known other doubts we have about the case.

Finally, we would like to make inform that—despite the lack of support from the State Attorney’s Office—a second autopsy will be carried out on the corpse of Oury Jalloh. The costs will be temporarily paid for by the Initiative in Memory of Oury Jalloh.

We demand:

- Repatriation stop until there is an independent post-mortem forensic x-ray
- An independent investigation of the circumstances surrounding Oury’s death Establishment of an independent commission to investigate the case
- A judicial process against the responsible police for homicide
- Reparations for the family of Oury Jallow
- An end to police brutality and control
- ¡¡¡JUSTICE!!!

For more information about the death of Oury Jalloh or our demands please contact:
Initiative in Memory of Oury Jalloh, Berlin/Dessau
Mouktar Bah (0176-29435634), E-Mail: plataforma@riseup.net

www.thevoiceforum.org
www.attac.de/halle/oury/