Dec 13, 2012

Posted by in Blog, EU, International | 2 Comments

Treatment of Basque Political Prisoners shows Hypocrisy of European Establishment on Human Rights

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.

Iosu Uribetxeberria

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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  • http://www.facebook.com/johnandrewhird John Andrew Hird

    Here is a translation of the statement in Euskara/Basque:
    Euskal preso politikoei ematen zaien tratuak erakusten du klase zuzendari europarraren hipokrisia giza eskubideak direla eta

    Europar Batasunean, Europako Parlamentuak oinarrizko eskubideen egoerari buruzko txostena onartzean, giza eskubideak zaintzera konprometitu zen. Alabaina, eskubide horiek euskal preso politikoei nabarmen ez aplikatzeak erakusten du europar klase zuzendariaren hipokrisia. Euskal presoen aldeko Herrira erakundearen arabera, une honetan 13 preso daude espetxean oso gaixotasun larriekin. Horrek preso horien bizitzak arriskuan jartzen ditu, eta tratamendu mediku egokirik gabe eta oinarrizko giza duintasunik gabe uzten ditu.
    Horren erakusgarri Josu Uribetxebarriaren kasua izan zen, azkenean irailean libre utzi zutena, giltzurrunetako minbizia diagnostikatu ziotenetik bost urtera. Agintariek ez zuten libre utzi nahi, nahiz eta espetxeko zuzendariak argi adierazi haiek ez zutela presoa artatzeko egokierarik. Horrek kalte larriak ekarri dizkio presoaren osasunari, eta orain minbizia itzulezina da.
    Politika anker horren gisa, askatasun-eguna hurbil duten presoen epea luzatzearen politikak amaitu behar du, eta preso guztiek espetxe-zigorra haien etxetik hurbilen dagoen espetxean betetzeko eskubidea izan beharko lukete.
    Benetako bake-prozesu batean, preso politiko guztiek aske beharko lukete, eta Euskal Herriko biztanleek libre izan beharko lirateke haien etorkizuna demokratikoki erabakitzeko. Euskal herritarren eskubide demokratikoak eta espainiar estatuko langileen borrokaren beharra lotuko lituzkeen masa-borrokak jarriko luke Euskal Herri sozialista baterako oinarria, Iberiar penintsulako federazio sozialista aske eta borondatezko baten parte gisa.

  • http://www.facebook.com/johnandrewhird John Andrew Hird

    It would be excellent if you could send the statement in Euskara to BILDU and other left forces in Euskadi Paul.

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