Protest spanish state repression, Dublin

Dublin, 27th Octobre, Wednesday, 4:30 PM GPO

End Repression in the Basque Country!
Spanish Government: Stop Persecuting Political Activists!
Freedom of expression for the Basque People!
Spanish Government: Stop Torturing Political Activists!

The latest news from the Basque Country is of raids in which 14 so far (and another six are being sought) have been arrested under 'anti-terror' laws, accused of being part of SEGI, the Basque pro-Independence Left youth movement banned since 2002 . Recently another group of 8 Basque youth were arrested; they were tortured and the three women among them were all sexually tortured too.

Just a few weeks ago, 6 activists of Askapena, the Basque international solidarity organisation, were also arrested, accused of being the "international propaganda arm of ETA" and of being in contact with a "international subversive network" of organisations in which Venezuela and Ireland were specifically mentioned as locations.

All of those being arrested by paramilitary police are political activists. They are never accused of having taken part in any armed action but are found guilty by association of political aims and objectives, although those aims and objectives are not, supposedly, in themselves illegal. If they have made 'confessions' under torture during the regular 5 days incommunicado detention, those statements are accepted as evidence against them, even though they withdraw them as soon as they get in front of a judge and denounce their torturers. The allegations are not investigated. They are routinely kept in prison while awaiting trial which can take up to two years before it begins and longer before it concludes.

The Spanish state is trying to break up the political organs of resistance while also trying to choke off their international solidarity network of information and solidarity. And this at a time when the Basque pro-Independence movement is publicly working on an open political programme and ETA has been on a ceasefire since January and declared it wants political negotiation. A few weeks ago Basque society demonstrated with over 50,000 in Bilbao marching in favour of an end to Spanish state repression and in favour of self-determination for their nation.

Dlúpháirtíocht