BETWEEN 18 MONTHS AND TWO YEARS JAIL FOR COMMEMORATING A BASQUE PRISONER WHO DIED IN JAIL? Periko Solabaria, the 80-years young Basque campaigner (centre of first photo) and two Basque youths have been summoned to attend Spanish court, where the Prosecutor is demanding between two years and 18 months jail for them. They are accused of glorifying terrorism, for holding a commemoration for Xabier Lopez Peña (see image on poster below) during the annual conference of Ernai, a Basque pro-independence left organization. People who carried photos of prisoners or displayed them on the walls of their pubs or social centres have also been accused of glorifying terrorism. Basque political prisoners enjoy huge popular support in the Basque Country. Peña had been a leading member of ETA at the time of his arrest in 2008. He developed heart problems in custody and was treated there but developed complications, whereupon he was transferred to hospital, where he died very soon after in March last year. Peñas family and friends were treated very badly by the state and hospital authorities. He was one of a number of Basque political prisoners to die in custody and currently there are 13 seriously-ill Basque political prisoners in custody in either Spanish or French jails. Periko Solbaria was hospitalized for months a few years ago due to complications developed after being crushed by police while on a demonstration supporting a strike. He is an Protestant minister without a church who has been a construction worker for most of his life, an active trade unionist, a founder of Herri Batasuna, a supporter of Basque human, civil and national rights and many other progressive causes. Ernai is a Left Basque pro-independence organization that in recent years organized or inspired the human wall resistance tactics when police came to arrest youth activists. These spectacular events took place in a number of Basque towns.
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 20:37:59 +0000
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