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- The Basque political prisoners start a new campaign of protests
- Thousands rally in support of the Egunkaria five
- Huge response to the Spanish repressive strategy
- Basque political prisoner attempts suicide
- Belfast Basque Solidarity Committee send solidarity to Basque Political Prisoners
- Great support for official national teams
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The Basque political prisoners start a new campaign of protests
In a statement released at the beginning of this year the Euskal Preso Politikoen Kolektiboa or EPPK (Basque Political Prisoners’ Collective) announced that they are about to start a series of protests against the Spanish and French authorities prison policies. The campaign will be carried on along the whole year and will have different phases.
In the statement the Prisoner’s Collective highlights the increase of the repressive measures in the jails and the attacks against the solidarity movement on the outside. According to them this situation is part of the attempt by the Spanish state to condition the beginning of a new political cycle in the Basque Country.
The Basque prisoners want to prove to the Spanish and French states that repression is fruitless and at the same time want to help boost the national liberation process, becoming part of it through their protest campaign and encouraging all political and social actors in the Basque Country to be part of it.
The prisoners demand the release of all the seriously ill comrades and those who have already done their sentences as well as the end of solitary confinement as a matter of urgency. They also demand the political status and their repatriation to the jails in the Basque Country as a first step towards a future amnesty.
During the first week of the year they will be informing about the new campaign and then protests such as lock-ins and hunger strikes will follow.
Thousands rally in support of the Egunkaria five
Around 30,000 people took part in a national demonstration on Saturday 19th of December in Bilbao to support those indicted in the Egunkaria case. The Basque language newspaper Egunkaria was closed down by the Spanish authorities in 2003 and ten members of the administration council and editorial team were arrested and tortured. Some of them were also imprisoned.
On Monday 14th of December a trial started against five of them, including director Martxelo Otamendi. They face up to 14 years in jail.
All Basque political parties and trade unions except the pro-Spanish unionists parties PSOE and PP and trade union UGT took part in the rally.
Huge response to the Spanish repressive strategy
44,000 people demonstrated in Bilbao last Saturday in support of the Basque political prisoners in the largest demonstration of the last years in the Basque Country. The demonstration had been previously organised by the prisoners' relatives and then banned by the Spanish authorities just two days before. Immediately five political parties reacted and organised the mentioned one. The slogan chosen for the demonstration was “Basque prisoners to the Basque Country”.
The Spanish authorities’ attempts to hide the broad support that slogan has among Basques failed completely.
The unprecedented reaction shown by the five political parties was also seen by many as proof of the existence of conditions to build a broad pro-independence front.
Meanwhile, dozens of visits were lost due to the new search measures implemented by the Spanish authorities before jail visits. The prisoners’ relatives and the prisoners themselves are carrying out numerous protests to confront this situation.
Former Basque political prisoner Patxi Gomez, who spent 20 years in jail and was released just a few months ago, has seen his sentence extended by the Spanish Supreme Court and will have to go back to jail. This is part of the Spanish strategy of recent years to keep Basque prisoners in jail for longer terms than those imposed in their sentences. Dozens of them have seen how the day they were due to be freed by law has been postponed for many more years bringing the repressive situation to cruel terms.
Basque political prisoner attempts suicide
Basque political prisoner Igor Gonzalez attempted to commit suicide on Tuesday 22nd of December. His personal psychologist had visited him the previous day and had asked the prison staff to look after him due to his terrible condition. The warnings were ignored and Igor cut his veins the next morning.
Despite this he was transferred to an unknown jail later on the same day.
The Basque prisoners' solidarity groups have denounced the lack of medical assistance and the harsh conditions they live in.
Belfast Basque Solidarity Committee send solidarity at Christmas to Basque Political Prisoners
The Belfast Basque Solidarity Committee has joined with Coiste na n-Iarchimí in a campaign that will see messages of support and solidarity at Christmas time sent to Basque prisoners, in Spain, France and the Basque Country.
Speaking on behalf of the initiative, Kevin Morrison from the Belfast Basque Solidarity Committee said:
“Together with Coiste we have designed a poster which reflects messages of solidarity from ex-prisoners from Ireland that also expresses the sense of community between those who face political persecution for their beliefs.
“This year has seen many more people enter prisons, especially in Spain and the Basque Country due to a large amount of arbitrary arrests of people in political parties, social and youth groups and journalists. While this has been a fact of life over in the past number of years, this year has seen a marked increase in arrests and imprisonments.
“We hope that the sending of these messages will in some way help ease the burden of those in jail over the Christmas period and let them know that people from around the world have not forgotten them.”
Adding to this Michael Culbert, Director of Coiste na n-Iarchimí said:
“Obviously from an ex-prisoners support group we have had first hand experience of prisoners’ difficulties and the hardship and isolation they may face, but this can be especially acute at Christmas time.
Great support for official national teams
More than 5,000 people gathered in the velodrome in Donostia/San Sebastian for a unique event on Saturday 27th of December. It was the first time ever Basque sports men and women had organised a whole soiree of a mix of different sports displays.
The aim was to demand official national teams for the Basque Country. Despite the majority of Basque people supporting this demand the French and Spanish states block any possibility at the international relevant bodies.
The successful event was the first of a new campaign that will grow in coming months and years.
Irish Basque Solidarity Committees
irishbsc@gmail.com
www.irishbasquecommittees.blogspot.com
