INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS

500 million Euros subsidies for 40'000 casualties

With these and other figures the INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS (juridical organ of the U.A.N. United Animal Nations) will be dealing during its next public hearing on 23 June 2008 in the Geneva Congress Centre C. I. C. G. (Centre international de Conférences de Genève).

On trial : Bullfighting, the controversial tradition of Spain and Portugal that experiences momentarily an artificial revival, and the Bullfighting Industry, who after successfully introducing its "tradition" in southern France, is trying by a massive propaganda campaign to establish the "Corrida de Toros" as an European cultural heritage.

Each year 500 million Euros of national and European subsidies are poured into the bullfighting industry which provides a questionable entertainment for tourists and for constantly decreasing numbers of Spaniards. Independent surveys show that over 70% of the Spaniards are no longer interested in bullfights. 250'000 bulls worldwide, 40'000 in Spain alone, are sacrificed each year at the innumerable fiestas where bullfights in all variations are celebrated.

The main plaintiffs: the Comité Radicalement Anti-Corrida - C.R.A.C. (France), the FUNDACION ALTARRIBA (Spain), Associação ANIMAL (Portugal) and Plataforma SOS, (Spain) can rely on crucial evidence (undercover film and video footage) and on testimony from eminent insiders: former matadors and aficionados, Spanish veterinarians and other experts called to the witness stand will reveal information which is normally withheld from the general public.

Among the accused, beside the President of the Spanish Government José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, the French President of State Nicolas Sarkozy and the former Prime Minister of Portugal José Manuel Barroso, we find for the first time in a public hearing the circles directly involved in the Spanish bullfight industry: the Federation of the Spanish bullfighting schools, the Union of breeders of fighting bulls, the Union of organizers and promoters of Corridas and the Union of professional bullfighters. Among other points they are accused of deliberate misinformation, of cruelty against animals and of endangering human lives, especially children.

The public hearing before the Animal Court of Justice will be held on 23rd June 2008 at the C.I.C.G. Centre International de Conférence in Geneva.
Opening 09.00 a.p. - Verdict 3.00 p.m. (15.30 h)

Montreux, 18th June 2008 FONDATION FRANZ WEBER

The press is kindly invited to the public hearing.

Fondation Franz Weber - United Animal Nations*
Case postale
1820 Montreux
Suisse
Tel: 0041 (0)21 964 24 24
www.ffw.ch – www.unitedanimalnations.org
Email: ffw@ffw.ch

veraweber@ffw.ch
Mobile: +41 (0)79 210 54 04