THE DONOSTIA EIGHT COULD BE ARRESTED ANY TIME NOW.
Statement released this morning:
Eight Donostia/San Sebastian youths have been sentenced in Madrid to six years in jail and today, Tuesday 16th April, an arrest warrant has been issued against them. They could be arrested any time now. What’s the reason to sentence them to such prison terms? Quite simply, for having been members of the Basque pro-independence youth organization Segi. The sentence states “membership of terrorist organization.” The only evidences produced against them were CD’s, t-shirts, books and posters. They want to imprison them for their political work.
Most of the youths denounced before the judge that they had been tortured while held in incommunicado detention and had been forced to sign self-incrimination statements. 20 months later they were released on bail after paying thousands of euros. Now that the final judgement has been passed they want to imprison them. Before them many more young people have been imprisoned for the same reason in the Basque Country. The Spanish authorities have the will to continue doing so. Nowadays there are more than 200 people awaiting trial in the Basque Country for being members of community and political organizations. That this happens in a 21st century state it’s an absolute outrage.
There are many people in our country who think that this is an unacceptable injustice and we have decide to say enough is enough. It’s not fair that so many young people are being stolen such precious years of their lives and that so much pain is being inflicted upon their loved ones for the only reason of their political beliefs. In a press conference these youths said they won’t accept this sentence and that they won’t go into hiding, that they don’t have done anything to hide of.
For the time being we have decided to build a “people’s wall” and we have created Aske Gunea (The Free Space). Since the judgement was released last week the eight youth are there during the day, surrounded by hundreds of people. At 8.30am every morning 100 people come to their homes, holding hands, forming a “people’s wall” to help them to Aske Gunea.
We have organised a full programme of activities for the people to come and take part such as gigs, workshops, films, talks...In the evening we take all down and at 8pm helped by hundreds of people we help the eight youths to their homes. When the police come for them we intend to peacefully resist by holding arms strongly around them. We all will join forces to prevent they take away our youths.
From day to day there are more and more of us joining the people’s wall. We encourage everybody to join us. What was supposed to be a feeling of defeat it’s being transformed into strength and eagerness! Come and see with your own eyes what most of the mass media is not telling you. We’ll stay strong. We need everybody’s help.
The Donostia Eight:
Mikel Arretxe. 1985. Egia area. He lives in Hernani. He was previously in jail for 2 years for a similar frame-up case. He was released and one year later he was arrested and brutally tortured. He has a girlfriend. He’s currently working. Sentenced to ix years in prison for his political ideas.
Imanol Vicente. 1986. Amara Berri area. Spinning instructor. He has a girlfriend. Sentenced to ix years in prison for his political ideas.
Naikari Otaegi. 1983. Amara Zaharra area. She has a boyfriend and one 7 month-old baby girl and one 3 years-old boy. Sentenced to six years in prison for her political ideas.
Egoi Alberdi. 1988. Amara Zaharra area. He’s currently working. He has a girlfriend. He was brutally tortured at the time of his arrest. Sentenced to ix years in prison for his political ideas.
Aitor Olaizola. 1983. Alde Zaharra area. He works in a bar. He has a girlfriend. Sentenced to six years in prison for his political ideas.
Adur Fernandez. 1985. Altza area. He lives in the Gros area. He has a girlfriend. He works in an organic farm co-op. Sentenced to six years in prison for his political ideas.
Oier Lorente. 1982. Alde Zaharra area. He works as a bus driver and in Orixe Ikastola Basque language medium school’s cantine. He lives with his girlfriend. Sentenced to six years in prison for his political ideas.
Ekaitz Ezkerra. 1986. Loiola area. He lives in Hernani with his girlfriend. He’s currently working. He was tortured during 5 days while held in incommunicado detention. Sentenced to six years in prison for his political ideas.
Ekaitz Ibero. 1986. Loiola area. He lives in the Antiguo area. He was acquitted in the same case but took part from the beginning in Aske Gunea because he had already been sentenced in another case. He was tortured and forced to sign a self-incriminating statement for taking part in the burning of a bus. During the trial he had an anxiety attack when he saw one of the policemen who tortured him. He went underground for two months only to turn up at Aske Gunea’s first day. He was arrested the following day. Those who tried to prevent the arrest peacefully were attacked by the police and many were injured and taken to the hospital.
Statement released this morning:
Eight Donostia/San Sebastian youths have been sentenced in Madrid to six years in jail and today, Tuesday 16th April, an arrest warrant has been issued against them. They could be arrested any time now. What’s the reason to sentence them to such prison terms? Quite simply, for having been members of the Basque pro-independence youth organization Segi. The sentence states “membership of terrorist organization.” The only evidences produced against them were CD’s, t-shirts, books and posters. They want to imprison them for their political work.
Most of the youths denounced before the judge that they had been tortured while held in incommunicado detention and had been forced to sign self-incrimination statements. 20 months later they were released on bail after paying thousands of euros. Now that the final judgement has been passed they want to imprison them. Before them many more young people have been imprisoned for the same reason in the Basque Country. The Spanish authorities have the will to continue doing so. Nowadays there are more than 200 people awaiting trial in the Basque Country for being members of community and political organizations. That this happens in a 21st century state it’s an absolute outrage.
There are many people in our country who think that this is an unacceptable injustice and we have decide to say enough is enough. It’s not fair that so many young people are being stolen such precious years of their lives and that so much pain is being inflicted upon their loved ones for the only reason of their political beliefs. In a press conference these youths said they won’t accept this sentence and that they won’t go into hiding, that they don’t have done anything to hide of.
For the time being we have decided to build a “people’s wall” and we have created Aske Gunea (The Free Space). Since the judgement was released last week the eight youth are there during the day, surrounded by hundreds of people. At 8.30am every morning 100 people come to their homes, holding hands, forming a “people’s wall” to help them to Aske Gunea.
We have organised a full programme of activities for the people to come and take part such as gigs, workshops, films, talks...In the evening we take all down and at 8pm helped by hundreds of people we help the eight youths to their homes. When the police come for them we intend to peacefully resist by holding arms strongly around them. We all will join forces to prevent they take away our youths.
From day to day there are more and more of us joining the people’s wall. We encourage everybody to join us. What was supposed to be a feeling of defeat it’s being transformed into strength and eagerness! Come and see with your own eyes what most of the mass media is not telling you. We’ll stay strong. We need everybody’s help.
The Donostia Eight:
Mikel Arretxe. 1985. Egia area. He lives in Hernani. He was previously in jail for 2 years for a similar frame-up case. He was released and one year later he was arrested and brutally tortured. He has a girlfriend. He’s currently working. Sentenced to ix years in prison for his political ideas.
Imanol Vicente. 1986. Amara Berri area. Spinning instructor. He has a girlfriend. Sentenced to ix years in prison for his political ideas.
Naikari Otaegi. 1983. Amara Zaharra area. She has a boyfriend and one 7 month-old baby girl and one 3 years-old boy. Sentenced to six years in prison for her political ideas.
Egoi Alberdi. 1988. Amara Zaharra area. He’s currently working. He has a girlfriend. He was brutally tortured at the time of his arrest. Sentenced to ix years in prison for his political ideas.
Aitor Olaizola. 1983. Alde Zaharra area. He works in a bar. He has a girlfriend. Sentenced to six years in prison for his political ideas.
Adur Fernandez. 1985. Altza area. He lives in the Gros area. He has a girlfriend. He works in an organic farm co-op. Sentenced to six years in prison for his political ideas.
Oier Lorente. 1982. Alde Zaharra area. He works as a bus driver and in Orixe Ikastola Basque language medium school’s cantine. He lives with his girlfriend. Sentenced to six years in prison for his political ideas.
Ekaitz Ezkerra. 1986. Loiola area. He lives in Hernani with his girlfriend. He’s currently working. He was tortured during 5 days while held in incommunicado detention. Sentenced to six years in prison for his political ideas.
Ekaitz Ibero. 1986. Loiola area. He lives in the Antiguo area. He was acquitted in the same case but took part from the beginning in Aske Gunea because he had already been sentenced in another case. He was tortured and forced to sign a self-incriminating statement for taking part in the burning of a bus. During the trial he had an anxiety attack when he saw one of the policemen who tortured him. He went underground for two months only to turn up at Aske Gunea’s first day. He was arrested the following day. Those who tried to prevent the arrest peacefully were attacked by the police and many were injured and taken to the hospital.
No comments:
Post a Comment