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End the cruel policy against Basque political prisoners 27 November 2011 |
The group "Egin Dezagun Bideak” calls on organisations and individuals to support the general
mobilization in support of the Basque political prisoners on January 7, 2012 in Bilbo (Spanish: Bilbao). You
can show your support by signing the manifesto online.
Translation of the manifesto into English language:
7th January 2012 - General Mobilization - Herri Mobilizazio
A new political cycle is taking place in the Basque
Country. A great many political agencies, trade
unions and diverse organisations from all over the
world are working together with Basque society to
find a just solution to a conflict which has been
going on for decades. This is a work which is already
bearing fruit as currently it is undeniable that
we are travelling on the road to bring the Basque
Country towards real democracy and peace.
There yet remains much to be done but what has
been achieved to date is not little. The dialogue
ope ned up during recent months and the agreements
and resolutions adopted reveal to us the
foundation of the the resolution of the conflict. We
are making the journey, little by little, from stage
to stage.
The process of resolution of the conflict must closely
address as much the causes of the conflict as
it must the consequences. This, among many
other issues, brings us to speak of the situation
endured by Basque political prisoners. During recent
weeks there have been many who have directed
their focus on the political prisoners; beginning
with the Gernika Agreement to an endless number
of political representatives in favour of human
rights in the Basque Country and in the international
arena.
The prisoners’ situation is on the political agenda.
On our side we are clear that the prison policy
must be a key within the democratic resolution. In
that regard, we consider also appropriate for Euskal
Herria the solutions applied to the prisoners in
conflicts such as those in Ireland or South Africa.
Even so, although the situation of the political prisoners
is already on the political agenda, prison
policy will continue to violate the most fundamental
rights. There are many prisoners who remain
in jail although they have compoleted their sentences.
Currently, there continue to be prisoners who
are gravely ill but who are not released. The dispersal
of prisoners brings about traffic accidents
with regularity. These are situations which in
which we live with great worry and which should
be put right and resolved with great urgency.
Faced with such an outrage, we consider popular
involvement to be of fundamental importance. In
the Basque Country, a great and wide majority in
the political, trade union and social spheres has
repeatedly insisted upon the ending of the current
prison policy. A great number of international
agencies and organisations have also done so. However
the fact that this situation to date has hardly
modified leads us to consider that this is the time
to reinforce the following demands:
We, the individuals, organizations and institutions that support this manifesto seek from the relevant
authorities the following measures with immediate effect:
1. That Basque prisoners be transferred to the Basque Country.
2. The repeal of the doctrine 197/2006 which is applied in the Spanish state and the bringing out of those prisoners who have completed their sentences.
3. The ending of the Permanent Sentence which is imposed in the French state and permitting access therefore to remission of sentence and parole.
4. The setting free of all prisoners who have completed ¾ of their sentences.
5. The setting free of seriously-ill prisoners and that measures be taken to provide adquate medical assistance to prisoners suffering from various illnesses.
6. That the prison policy employed by the French and Spanish states be situated in key relationship to influence the way open to the resolution of the conflict which exists in the Basque Country. In addition to these demands, we call on the Basque people to take part in the general mobilization called for the forthcoming 7th January in Bilbao.
The manifesto can be signed online by organisations and individuals:
website >> The manifesto can be downloaded from the website as PDF in various languages.