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Don't Extradite the Basques Campaign launched
Submitted by admin on Og, 2009/06/11 - 07:19
The Don't Extradite the Basques Campaign was formally launched on Wednesday 10 June against the extradition to Spain of Belfast-based Basque pro-independence activists Iñaki de Juana and Arturo ‘Beñat’ Villanueva at a press conference in An Chultúrlann.
Civil rights activist Fearghas Ó hÍr outlined the campaign on behalf of the committee, joined by a range of supporters including prominent human rights defenders and community activists, aiming to demonstrate the broad support for the human and civil rights of the Basque people from across the Belfast community.
An online petition against the extraditions was launched at the press conference. The first 10 signatories to this petition were:
1) Fearghas Ó hÍr (veteran civil rights campaigner)
2) Bairbre de Brún (Sinn Féin MEP)
3) Pádraigín Drinan (Human Rights lawyer)
4) Eamonn McCann (National Union Journalists National Executive member)
5) Bobby Storey (Chairperson, Belfast Sinn Féin)
6) Gerry McConville (Chair, Falls Community Council)
7) Fr Des Wilson (west Belfast priest and community activist)
8) Michael Culbert (former Antrim and St Gall’s Gaelic Football Manager)
9) Pól Deeds (Coordinator, An Droichead)
10) Rónán Mac Aodha Bhuí (RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta presenter).
Speaking on behalf of the Don't Extradite the Basques Committee, Mr Ó hÍr said: “In its effort to prevent the Basque people from exercising their democratic right to self-determination, Spain is breaching several fundamental rights as outlined in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including the right to freedom of opinion and expression, of peaceful assembly and association, the right to take part in the government of their state and the right not to be subjected to torture or abuse.
“Iñaki de Juana and Arturo ‘Beñat’ Villanueva are clearly being persecuted solely for their political opinions, not for any criminal activity. They will not receive a fair hearing with the Spanish judicial system and face the risk of torture.”
Mr Ó hÍr continued: “These extradition requests are politically unacceptable and we are urging all those who support basic civil rights to join us in the campaign against the extraditions.”
The campaign petition demands that the Spanish government respects the fundamental human, civil and political rights of the Basque people as laid out in the UN Declaration of Human Rights and that it ends its campaign of criminalisation against the Basque pro-independence movement.
The petition supports the human right of Iñaki de Juana and Arturo ‘Beñat’ Villanueva not to be persecuted by the Spanish government for their political opinions.
It calls on the British government to immediately reject the extradition requests and to refuse to collaborate with the Spanish government in this political persecution.
Finally, the petition supports the right of Iñaki de Juana and Arturo ‘Beñat’ Villanueva to live freely in Ireland.
For more information visit www.dontextraditethebasques.org or email press@dontextraditethebasques.org.
