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Amnesty International demands an independent investigation into the case of Igor Portu 13. January 2008 | Uschi Grandel 7. January 2008: the day after his arrest by Guardia Civil a young man had to be taken to the intensive care unit of a hospital with serious signs of torture
Two young men from the Basque town Lesaka, Igor Portu Juanena and Mattin Sarasola, were arrested in Arrasate on Sunday,
Januar 6, 2008 by the (Spanish paramilitary police) Guardia Civil.
One of the men, Igor Portu Juanena, had to be taken to the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital Donostia (San Sebastian) today.
He is in serious conditions with two broken ribs and a lung perforation. He has bruises all over his body and has blood
in his left eye. Since yesterday he has been held incommunicado (i.e. without any contact to the outer world)
by the Guardia Civil. The pro-amnesty movement has appealed to assemble today at 18.00 at the entrance of the
Hospital in Donostia.
Amnesty International (AI) demands an independent investigation into the case of Igor Portu. The coordinator of AI in Donostia
reminds us that this organization has complained repeatedly that in the Spanish State, "although torture is not practised
on a systematic basis," there are "proven cases of maltreatment and abuses by the police forces not only in the case of
people arrested for 'terrorism' but also in other groups such as immigrants."
For a long time AI has criticized the lack of internal inqueries into complaints of torture or maltreatment. AI demands
that the Spanish authorities at least make human rights violations more difficult by video control of the incommunicado
detention and the interrogations. This minimum requirement is also demanded by the Basque human rights organisation Behatokia
and the anti-torture organisation TAT (The Group Against Torture).
In the Basque country the Spanish authorities act with brute force against the left-wing Independence Movement. Last year's
statistic gives a rough idea about the extent of oppression:
Even well documented torture complaints do not have any consequences
from January to November 2007 TAT took the evidence of 27 torture victims, who reported torture after being held in
'incommunicado' detention. Meanwhile there are probably more than 40 cases. The estimated number is far higher, because
victims are often confronted with a counter-charge against them filed by the police. Even well documented cases of torture
mostly fail to bring about any punishment of the torturers. The case of Unai Romano in 2002 is comparable to the case
of Igor Portu. Both got the attention of the public, because their injuries were so severe and visible, that they had to
be treated in hospital. In hospital there was a picture taken of the head of Unai Romano, which was incredibly swollen and
red and blue with hemotomas from permanent and violent beatings
(
>>>> Behatokia: Information on the case of Romano in Spanish, French and English language ).
Torture victims report beatings, shouting, stand-ups and standing against a wall until complete physical exhaustion,
suffocation by putting plastic bags over the head oder using water, sexual assaults, nakedness during interrogations,
threats of rape and rape with sticks. An English translation of the report of Gorka Lupiañez, who was arrested on
December 6, 2007 and filed a report against the police accusing them of severe torture can be found in the blog of the
Irish Solidarity Committees with the Basque country (
>>>> 31.12.2007, SPANISH INQUISITION: TORTURE Statement given by Gorka Lupianez
). In almost all of the cases the victims report that the aim of the tortures was to make them sign already prepared
confessions.
The Basque newspaper GARA lists 295 people, who were arrested in 2007 in connection with the Spanish-Basque conflict.
End of December 2007 there were 711 Basque prisoners, dispersed to more than 100 prisons in Spain and France. Hundreds of
kilometers have to be covered by family members to visit their loved ones. This lead to 17 deaths so far, caused by
traffic accidents. The last death was caused last Chrismas. ETA prisoners are not even released in cases of severe illness
or after they finished their decades long sentences. The Spanish Special court sentences people to years of prison who
never ever have been involved in any offences at all, but who work politically, socially or culturally with peaceful
means for a independent Basque country.
UN commissioner accuses the Spanish state of using torture
The severe injuries that the doctors in Donostia reported in the case of Igor Portu within the last days made
torture an issue also in the Spanish media. Usually, the Spanish media dismiss claims of torture by Basque prisoners.
Shortly after the torture reports press agencies reported the two arrested young men to be top-class ETA terrorists
who were about planning a huge bombing in Madrid. However it's not clear whether this report was purposefully placed by the
Spanish minister of Interior Rubalcaba, who wants to get the discussion about torture ended as soon as possible.
The young men, who supposedly made the allegations, was in 'incommunicado'-arrest then, completely isolated
from the outside.
The report of the doctors in Donostia about the severe injuries of Igor Portu made torture an issue in the Spanish
media over the last few days, although media in Spain deny allegations of torture of Basque prisoners usually
right away. Right into the middle of this discussion came a sensational report of the major Spanish news agency
that the two young men were allegedly high-ranking ETA terrorists, who were planning a spectacular attack in Madrid.
These allegations look like a deliberately placed report by the Spanish Interior Minister Rubalcaba. The aim might have
been to lead the discussion away from the torture allegations, which became more serious after the incommunicado
arrest of the two young men was ended and they were able to give their report of what happened.
Is the Spanish Interior Minister Rubalcaba telling lies?
Update, 13.1.2008: after five days of "incommunicado detention" both men were transferred to prison.
Their statements about the time of their arrest and the subsequent events are known by now. Although the two men
were both isolated from each other and from the outside world their testimonies coincide with each other as well as
with a report of an uninvolved witness. An man, who walked his dog on that Sunday was controlled by the police
and witnessed the arrest. All three testimonies give 11.00AM as arrest time, while the time given in the police report
is 1pm, two hours later. While the police claim the arrests took place at a police roadblock, the three testimonies
state that the arrest took place in the mountains. The witness confirmed that the two men did not fight their arrest.
Having spent five days completely isolated from each other and from any person of their confidence, Portu and Sarasola
nevertheless give the same description of events following their arrest. They were taken through a forest to the river
and were badly beaten and tortured. Portu was almost drowned in the river for several times. Sarasola was beaten and
threatened. Portu's injuries were so serious that he had to be put in intensive care after less than 24 hours being in
the hands of the torturers. Nothing was known about Sarasola for five long days until the worst fears became true with
his testimony about five days of brutality and humiliation.
The report of the Guarda Civil about the arrest time, the arrest place and the injuries are totally discredited by
the emerging facts. The Spanish Interior Minister Rubalcaba has supported this flawed police version from the
very beginning. He never admitted that doubts have been cast on this version. All these efforts to make allegations
of torture appear unreliable?
Instead of prosecuting torturers they prosecute those, who denounce torture: the mayoress of Hernani got standing applause
from thousands of people at an event of the leftwing pro-independence party EAE-ANV on January 12, 2008, as she called
for solidarity with Portu and Sarasola. She asked the people to remember the death of Joxe Arregi, who died of torture
27 years ago: "Time has come to say: enough is enough!"
Obviously the Spanish judiciary has no sympathy for compassion with victims of torture. Rather they not only pre-judged
the still not-convicted men as terrorists but try to punish the mayoress of Hernani for "Advancing terrorism".
The public prosecution has summoned her to appear in front of the Audacia National,
El Pais reports happily
(
article in Spanish language ). The sentence is up to two years of prison.
The Basque newspaper GARA reports the admission of Igor Portu to the intensive care unit of the Donostia hospital: GARA, 7. January 2008, Spanish language >> Hundreds of people protest in front of the Hospital in Donostia against the maltreatment of Igor Portu by the police LESAKA. About 350 people have gathered this afternoon before the main entrance of the Hospital in Donostia under the slogan Torturers out of here. They protest against the treatment of Igor Portu Juanena by the police and show solidarity with the young detainee. The spokesperson for the pro-amnesty movement, Asier Birunbrales, said that they are very concerned about the condition of Igor Portu, and alleged that after his arrest yesterday "within 24 hours the Guardia Civil has been able to hospitalize him in their holding centre." Birunbrales has recalled the testimony of Gorka Lupiañez, who "reported that he was brutally raped and tortured in the hands of the Guardia Civil." He concluded that "in the light of this and other testimonies of the last 30 years, Igor Portu has been tortured by the Guardia Civil." Thus, he asked the spokesperson of the government Lakua, Miren Azkarate, and the deputy of Nafarroa Bai, Uxue Boats: "How do you comment on these facts? Is this violence or just an accidental event in this country?" He also addressed the political class, those who had questioned that this could happen: "how long are they going to continue to be deaf, dumb and blind in front of this reality?" He demanded to visit Portu "to get a first-hand testimony of these 24 hours." Concern about Mattin Sarasola He also expressed concern about the other detainee, Mattin Sarasola. He appealed to the people to "mobilize against violence (against detainees) and against torture." Finally, he asked the editors of the media "if it is necessary that a young man in the Basque Country is hospitalized before you report about torture in this country." Igor Portu was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit Igor Portu Juanena, who was arrested yesterday in Arrasate together with Mattin Sarasola, was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Hospital in Donostia this morning. According to doctors from the hospital who talked to GARA, the young man who was admitted to the centre at 3.56, has a "fracture of the posterior arch of the ninth costal left rib", as well as "an important entrance of air below the bottom of the lungs and air in the left lung, left pleural effusions and a hotbed of small pulmonary contusions." In addition, the doctor said that Igor Portu had "bruises all over his chest and back," and in the spine and that his left eye shows bruises and internal bleeding. He suffers dyspnea (breathing difficulties) and an "important emphysema (swelling caused by air in the lung) and subcutaneous which extends from the neck to the pelvic neck." The hospital report also shows that the "patient refers to beatings with fists and kicks to the face, chest and abdomen and lower extremities" and that his knees and ankles show "multiple bruises, abrasions and erosions." Registered in Lesaka According to the official version, broadcasted by (press agency) Efe, Igor Portu has inflicted the injuries himself during his arrest, because he "opposed the arrest with strong resistance." According to Efe, Igor Portu and Mattin Sarasola were brought to their homes in Lesaka last night to register them. The presence was confirmed by some neighbors in the town. (The official version is full of contradictions. If Portu really was injured during his arrest, it's very unlikely that he was able to take part in the registration of his home.) In Lesaka a meeting took place yesterday where neighbours of both of the arrested young men showed their concern about what might be happening to them in the hands of the Guardia Civil. The case of the young man Gorka Lupiañez from Duranga, who was arrested on 6 December and who denounced brutal torture at the hands of armed forces, was present in everyone's mind. Around 10 p.m. yesterday, the people of Lesaka were surrounded by several units of the Guardia Civil, who went to the homes of Igor Portu and Mattin Sarasola. A witness told the newspaper that they first came into the family house of Sarasola, where many people were present to express their support. The Guardia Civil ordered the meeting to go to another place, and warned that everyone who shouted any proclamations of solidarity with those arrested would be punished. Arrested in Arrasate The news that the two young men from Lesaka had been arrested in Arrasate was published early in the afternoon. According to the version supplied by sources from the Ministry of Interior in Madrid and the Spanish Government Representatives in Nafarroa, the arrest occurred around noon when the vehicle in which they were travelling was stopped at a checkpoint of the Acción Rural de la Guardia Civil (GAR) in Arrasate. Since then, Mattin Sarasola and Igor Portu remained incommunicado (without contact to the outside). When the Mayor from Lesaka, Koldo Erkizia (EA), contacted a representative of the Spanish Government in Iruñea about the situation of the two young men from his town in Navarre, they confirmed the arrest to him. Quoting sources from FSE, several press agencies and the media reported that, at the time of arrest, the two suspected ETA militants had two revolvers, wrapped in cellophane paper. The daily El País reported that the operation of the GAR was not coincidental, but belonged to "show of strength" with many Guardia Civil checkpoints in the area throughout the month of December. The press agency Efe added that "apparently the handguns had been provided recently," and that these arrests may be related to Gorka Lupiañez.
"More than Sporadic Incidents" Torture cases in Spain are "more than sporadic incidents and not isolated cases" (UN commissioner Theo van Boven at the UN committee for Human Rights, March 31, 2004)