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<P><BIG>Hi,</BIG></P>
<P><STRONG><BIG>Today, we are writing to sincerely thank you for your support
over the past year.</BIG></STRONG></P>
<P><BIG>One year ago, you signed a petition calling on Frontex, the EU border
police, to stop its intimidations against activists like us. After we had lost
our transparency lawsuit against the border agency, <B>Frontex had sent us an
invoice claiming €23,700 in legal fees. </B>[1]</BIG></P>
<P><BIG><B>Demanding such a large amount of money from two activists had a clear
intention: to create a chilling effect to stop us </B>- and anyone else - from
taking them to court again.</BIG></P>
<P><BIG><STRONG>With you, more than 87,000 citizens stood by us </STRONG>and
demanded Frontex drop their invoice for legal fees. [2] Unfortunately, Frontex
chose not to listen and instead they doubled down, taking us to court in order
to force us to pay.</BIG></P>
<P><BIG><B>Today, we finally share with you some good news: the EU court has
ruled that Frontex’s demand for legal fees was indeed excessive. </B>The court
has ordered that €10,520 - less than half of what Frontex had initially demanded
- is the justifiable amount. [3]</BIG></P>
<P><BIG>To us, this proves that Frontex was in no need to demand such a large
amount of money from us. <B>Their invoice and lawsuit, rather than a financial
need, was a message of intimidation against critical civil
society.</B></BIG></P>
<P><BIG>What’s even better:<B> the European Parliament has called on Frontex to
drop its demand for legal fees - and to never demand this kind of legal costs
again. </B>This strong, important stance taken by the Parliament is
unprecedented! [4]</BIG></P>
<P><BIG>In light of all of these developments, we’d like to thank you for
standing up to Frontex’s abuse, and defending activists’ right to investigate,
question and hold Frontex accountable.</BIG></P>
<P><BIG><B>Your support and taking a stance matters now more than ever.</B>
After a series of investigations shed some light into what is actually happening
during Frontex’s operations and behind closed doors, <B>the border agency is now
facing three different investigations;</B> the agency stands accused, among
other things, of<B> human rights violations, misconduct and harassment, and
lying to the European Parliament.</B> [5]</BIG></P>
<P><BIG><B>We will continue to investigate and challenge Frontex’s actions - the
agency’s efforts to intimidate us do not stand a chance.</B></BIG></P>
<P><BIG>So, <B>once again, thank you</B> for having supported our fight, and
having taken a stance against abuse of power. <B>As the work to hold Frontex
accountable continues, we hope to meet you again, soon.</B></BIG></P>
<P><BIG>Kind regards from Brussels and Berlin,<BR>Luisa and Arne</BIG></P>
<P><SMALL>References:<BR>[1]
https:<SPAN>//fragdenstaat</SPAN>.de/en/aktionen/frontex/<BR>[2]
https<SPAN>://act</SPAN>.<SPAN>wemove</SPAN>.eu/campaigns/luisa-arne-vs-frontex-en?utm_source=civimail-37245&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20210506_EN<BR>[3]
https<SPAN>://fragdenstaat</SPAN>.de/en/blog/2021/04/19/frontex-costs-eu-court/<BR>[4]
https<SPAN>://fragdenstaat</SPAN>.de/en/blog/2021/05/04/frontex-excessive-fees-parliament/<BR>[5]
https<SPAN>://www.statewatch</SPAN>.org/analyses/2021/frontex-investigations-what-changes-in-the-eu-border-agency-s-accountability/
</SMALL></P>
<P> </P>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"
align=left><B>From:</B> <A title=info@wemove.eu
href="mailto:info@wemove.eu">Luisa & Arne</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial" align=left><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, May 11, 2021 6:02
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial" align=left><B>Subject:</B> A message from Luisa
and Arne</DIV>
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