Interesting article about basque political prisoners, from: http://www.paulmurphymep.eu/treatment-of-basque-political-prisoners-shows-hypocrisy-of-european-establishment-on-human-rights
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| Iosu Uribetxeberria |
With the passing of the report on the situation of fundamental rights in the EU by the European Parliament, it
committed itself in words to human rights. However, the flagrant
disregard of those rights for Basque political prisoners shows the
hypocrisy of the European establishment. According to Herrira, a
campaigning group for Basque prisoners, there are currently 13 prisoners
kept in prison despite being seriously ill. This is putting these
people’s lives at risk and as depriving them of appropriate medical
treatment and basic human dignity.
This
was illustrated by the case of Iosu Uribetxeberria, who was finally
released in September, five years after he was first diagnosed with
kidney cancer. Authorities would not grant his release, despite his
prison governor being clear that they did not have the appropriate
facilities to treat him. This has led to serious deterioration in his
health and now the cancer is irreversible.
As
well as this cruel policy; the policy of extending the terms of
prisoners who are approaching their release date must be ended and all
prisoners should have the right complete their sentences in the prison
closest to their place of residence.
All
political prisoners should be released as part of real peace process
where the people of the Basque Country should be free to decide their
future democratically. A mass struggle linking the democratic rights of
the Basque people with the need for united struggle of workers across
the Spanish state would lay the basis for a socialist Basque country as
part of a free and voluntary socialist federation of the Iberian
peninsula.
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