Basque Political Prisoner On 39th Day Of Hunger Strike

international | rights, freedoms and repression | press release

Friday December 15, 2006 11:43

by Irish Basque Commitee

irishbasques at homail dot com

It's his second one in the last two months.

Inaki de Juana, Basque political prisoner, has been on hunger strike for the last 39 days asking for his release and the end of all harasment against the 700 Basque political prisoners.

His situation (being asked for 96 years in prison for the writing of two opinion articles) led him to go on a hunger strike for 63 days.

On October 26,the trial against him took place in the Audiencia Nacional, a specialCourt in Madrid. The Basque prisoner was facing a Prosecution request of 96 years in jail for a crime of “threats” and another of “membership of anarmed organisation” because of two articles he sent to the Basque daily,Gara.

During the trial, the State Prosecutor considered he had alreadyserved his sentence for “membership” so he dropped this charge and reduced his request to four years in jail for “glorifying terrorism” or,alternatively, a crime of “threats” for which the tribunal could sentence him to 13 years. The defence counsel requested De Juana be acquitted because “the charges have not been proven at this trial”, adding that what is being used against the Donostia-born prisoner is a “criminal law for the enemy”,whereby “what is put on trial are not events, but the person”.

During the trial, Iñaki de Juana explained that the content of the articles was“purely political critique” and their aim was “to denounce and inform the public about the injustice” suffered by Basque political prisoners. Afterstating that he could not see where anyone could find any threats in the contents of his articles, he appealed to his right to exercise freedom of speech.

Days later, the court decision was published; it sentenced Iñaki de Juanato 12 years and 7 months in prison (as well as some other additionalpenalties) for a crime of “issuing terrorist threats”. This crimerequires, amongst other things, a serious, real, specific threat, based on the will of the issuer, etc. aimed at subverting the constitutional orderor seriously breaching the peace. None of these aspects can be found in the texts. Therefore, it can be seen how in Spain, as in Guantanamo, there are situations which take us back to the time of the inquisition and which show what the criminal law for the enemy is, tailor-made, and based on hatred and revenge.

In this situation of absolute injustice, on November 7 Iñaki de Juana began another hunger strike, which is adding to the 63 day strike he had ended only a few weeks earlier, after having lost 24 kilos (3st, 5lb). At the beginning of his protest, De Juana asked the management of Aranjuez Prison to “be held in isolation and receive no visits”. The same source stated that this request was aimed at “preventing speculation about his breaching his fast” as certain Spanish media had done during his previous strike. Shortly later, the Spanish Penitentiary Institutions asked the AudienciaNacional for permission to control the state of the Basque prisoner. AnAudiencia Nacional decision allows medical tests to be carried out on Iñaki de Juana, including his admission to hospital, against his will, aswell as “any internal control measures believed necessary”. In their decision, magistrates Manuela Fernández, Paloma Pastor y Ricardo Rodríguez acknowledge that with these measures they are limiting De Juana’s fundamental rights.

On Friday, November 24, Iñaki de Juana was admitted to the Doce de Octubre hospital, after several tests carried out, again,against his will. When De Juana began this hunger strike, he weighed 70 kilos (11 stone) andduring these first 20 days he has lost between eight and nine kilos(17-20lb). This is the last resort left to the Basque prisoner in order to protest against the evident persecution orchestrated against him, to denounce the frantic fabrication of charges to prevent his release by all means and, atthe end of the day, to demand his right to be released.

At this time,Iñaki needs solidarity. We must veil for his physical integrity and demandhis immediate release. This is why we are asking for solidarity and protest action for Iñaki deJuana, as well as sending protest messages to the people below,responsible for his situation.

The Belfast Basque Committee is calling a picket line at the Whiterock Roundabout, Falls Road in West Belfast on Saturday the 23rd od December at 1pm.

HELP SAVE IÑAKI’S LIFE!

José Luís Rodríguez ZapateroPresidente del Gobierno EspañolPalacio de la Moncloa,Avda. Puerta de Hierro, s/n.28071 Madridjlrzapatero@presidencia.gob.esFax: 0034 913900217

Carlos Divar BlancoPresidente Audiencia NacionalC/ García Gutiérrez, 128004 MadridFax: 0034 913973381

PLEASE, SEND CC TO contact@kalera.org

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