Satoshi Noro

A message from the Freedom for Gari Campaign in London

Kaixo Lagunak,

Yesterday at Horseferry Magistrates Court Judge Daphne Wickham rejected the extradition petition for Gari as she considered it to be “not valid” and found the relation of the of the alleged offences allegedly committed by Gari was neither “acurate, just or acceptable”.

The CPS acting on behalf of Madrid had instuctions to automatically appeal this decision. The judge granted his release on bail until the appeal is resolved in the High Court, on condition that £15.000 sureties are given, the situation of his travel documents is cleared, he has a place to live and goes to sign to a police station everyday. This was also appealed by the CPS and will be probably resolved at the High Court (the Strand) on Monday.

The CPS has a week to present their case of appeal to the High Court against Judge Daphne Wickham’s decision to reject the extradion.
Hopefully Gari will be released to us sometime next week.
We would like to thank everyone for your continued support, visits and letters to Gari. As well as keeping him strong has also helped to refute the argument of the CPS that Gari was not integrated, had no friends or ties in the community. Well done!!

http://freedomforgari.com/

More news soon

Kaixo lagunak,

Dagoeneko zuetako gehienok jakingo duzuen bezala Gariren aurkako estradizio eskaera atzera bota du Daphne Wickhan epaileak, hainbat irregulartasun egonik, eskaerak baliorik ez duela eta onargarria ez dela argudiatuta, fiskaltzak helegitea sartzeko asmoa agertu duenez, epaileak baldintzapeko askatasuna ezarri dio, horretarako Garikoitzen dokumentazioa argitu, pasaporterik ez duela frogatu eta bera biziko den helbidea ematearekin batera 15.000 libratako bermea aurkeztu beharko dugu astelehena baino lehen, Fiskalak estradizioa atzera botatzeko erabakiari helegitea jartzea gain (astebeteko epea dute horretarako) baldintzapeko askatasunaren aurkako erabakiari ere helegitea jarri dio eta Strandeko epaitegi gorenean erabakiko da helegite hau Astelehenean.
Dena ondo badoa, Garikoitz kalean egon liteke hurrengo astean.
Azken hilabete luze hauetan agertutako elkartasuna eskertu nahi dizuegu guztioi, batez ere bisitan eta eskutitz bidez Gari babestu duzuen guztioi.
Mila esker bihotzez.

Astelehenean berri gehiago dugun bezaien laister jakinaraziko zaizue.

Agur bero bat http://freedomforgari.com/

A message from the Freedom for Gari campaign:

Gari’s extradition hearing will take place on Monday 7/06/2008. His lawyers have studied the extradition papers and they believe there are strong arguments in his favour.
In the light of new information, his lawyers have decided to make an application for bail. We are trying to collect as much money as possible to support his bail application. This money will be sent to Gari’s parents who will be acting as sureties.
Obtaining more sureties would also be highly beneficial for supporting the application for bail. If you, or someone you know, could act as surety it would be of great help. A surety could be anyone who knows Gary personally and offers the court a sum of money to guarantee he will attend when required. They do not have to pay the money into court but have to show that they have it available. If you could act in this role, please get in touch with us as soon as possible.
Otherwise you can send money to Gari’s account in Paypal freedomforgari@gmail.com
http://freedomforgari.com/
You can also send money to the following online bank account

Bank name: Smile
Short Code: 08 92 86
Account number: 16046427

His lawyers would like to know how many resources will be available to support the application as they need to prepare his application. Ideally we would like to get an idea by Sunday night.
We are planning to write an update of the new developments in Gari’s case shortly after.

Thanks a lot.

**Gari was arrested on 14/03/2010 by the Metropolitan Police on behalf of the Spanish authorities who are trying to extradite him from England under a European Arrest Warrant alleging “terrorist offences”. He is accused of being involved in a (legal) Basque pro-independence youth organisation and of being involved in ‘public disorder’.

For the full details on his case visit www.dontextraditethebasques.org/news/garikoitz-ibarluzeas-arrest-in-london/

To get in touch with the Freedom for Gari campaign email freedomforgari@googlemail.com.

Kaixo lagunak!!

Gariren extradizioa erabakitzeko bista Ekainak 7an izango da eta ez 8an hasieran jakinarazi genizuen bezala, bere abokatua gogor ari da lanean eta Gariren aldeko pisuzko argumentuak dituztela esan digute.
Bien bitartean, Gariren abokatuek baldintzapeko askatasun eskaera egitea erabaki dute eta horretarako diru bilketa hasi dugu, ahal den diru gehien biltzen saiatuko gara, ondoren bere gurasoei bidaltzeko, beraiek izango baitira abalemaile.
Abalemaile gehiago lortzen saiatzen ari gara, beraz zu edo zuk dakizun norbaitek abalemaile bezela egiteko prest egongo balitz jakinarazi helbide honetara email bat bidaliaz, abalemailea Gari ezagutzen duen edonor izan daiteke, epaileari diru kantitate bat eskeintzen diona Gari beraiek eskatzen dutenean ager dadin, horretarako ez da inongo ordainketarik egin behar, baizik eta epaitegian erakutsi, kantitate hori duzula frogatzeko.
Paypal bidez diru laguntza eman dezakezu: freedomforgari@gmail.com
Web orri honen bidez ere eman dezakezue zuen laguntza http://freedomforgari.com/
edo banku korronte zenbaki honetara bidali daiteke:
Bank name: Smile
Short Code: 08 92 86
Account number: 16046427

Komeniko litzateke lehenbaitlehen jakitea zenbat rekurtso dauden abokatuei defentsa prestaketa lanetan lagungarri izango zaielako.
Eguneratuta mantenduko zaituztegu

Besarkada bat!

This is an update to let supporters know that Garikoitz Ibarluzea’s hearing will be held in London on June 8, 2010. Further updates about the campaign will follow in the coming weeks.

Gari was arrested on 14/03/2010 by the Metropolitan Police on behalf of the Spanish authorities who are trying to extradite him from England under a European Arrest Warrant alleging “terrorist offences”. He is accused of being involved in a (legal) Basque pro-independence youth organisation and of being involved in ‘public disorder’.

For the full details on his case visit www.dontextraditethebasques.org/news/garikoitz-ibarluzeas-arrest-in-london/

To get in touch with the Freedom for Gari campaign email freedomforgari@googlemail.com.

From left, Irati Aranzabal, Emma Clancy, Niall Murphy, Joe Austin, Paul Maskey and Michael Culbert

Community stands behind Iñaki de Juana

An emergency public meeting to raise awareness about the impending extradition of Belfast-based Basque ex-prisoner Iñaki de Juana held in Caulfield’s Bar in west Belfast on Friday March 26 resolved to strengthen the campaign to stop the extradition from proceeding.

The emergency meeting, attended by more than 100 people and chaired by veteran republican activist Joe Austin, was addressed by Sinn Fein MLA Paul Maskey, Michael Culbert from Coiste na n-Iarchimí, Niall Murphy from Kevin Winters Solicitors and Emma Clancy from the Don’t Extradite the Basques Campaign.

A sign-on statement calling for the extradition request to be rejected was launched at the event. Participants resolved that the next step in the campaign would be to seek a meeting with British government representatives to present the sign-on statement. A solidarity demonstration will also be organised to show the huge level of community support for de Juana at his appeal hearing in the High Court on June 28.

‘Pound of flesh’

The Belfast Recorder’s Court ruled on March 1 that the extradition of de Juana to Spain to face questioning related to charges of ‘glorifying terrorism’ is to proceed. He is accused of writing a letter that was allegedly read at a rally in August 2008 and contained the Basque phrase ‘Aurrera bolie’ (‘Kick the ball forward’).

The Spanish authorities claim that this phrase constitutes ‘glorifying terrorism’. But de Juana was already in Ireland when this rally was held and he has stated that he did not write such a letter. The Spanish police admit they cannot produce it.

Opening the public meeting, Joe Austin said: “If this all sounds familiar, that’s because it is. This sort of repression is what we went through and what the Basque people continue to go through.

“If ever there were a group of people with the experience, understanding and skills to resist this extradition attempt, it’s the people in this room, the Irish republican community.”

Michael Culbert from ex-prisoners’ group Coiste welcomed the fact that there were many ex-prisoners in attendance and recounted the many extradition battles that Irish republican activists had fought throughout the years.

“We’ve seen how Margaret Thatcher pursued Irish republicans for extradition, when the cases were not based on legal grounds but vindictiveness on the part of the British government,” he said. “This is the same in Iñaki de Juana’s case, when the Spanish authorities, for political reasons, are determined to extract their pound of flesh from this man despite the fact that there is no evidence against him.”

Hand of solidarity

Sinn Fein Assembly member Paul Maskey, who has been to the Basque Country many times, said there were longstanding and deep ties of friendship and solidarity between the Basque and Irish peoples.

“This is not just an attack on Iñaki, but on the Basque community in Ireland and indeed on the Irish republican community,” he said.

“At a moment when the Basque people are suffering serious repression, we need to extend the hand of solidarity that has always been extended to us.”

Maskey said that the next step for the campaign should be for political representatives to seek a meeting with British government representatives to express the level of opposition to the extradition and demand that it be rejected.

The MLA also pointed out that for the Spanish government to be pursuing this case at a time when the Basque Abertzale Left were trying to create the conditions for a democratic process to develop, was “completely counter-productive to efforts to bring about a peaceful resolution to this conflict”.

Flawed case

Kevin Winters solicitor Niall Murphy, from de Juana’s legal team, explained the flaws in the court’s judgment allowing the extradition to proceed.

He said the original ruling in the preliminary hearing last March that the offence of ‘glorifying terrorism’ had an equivalent under the British Terrorism Act 2006 was extremely concerning.

“People in this jurisdiction would not be charged with a crime for saying ‘Tiocfaidh ár lá’ – but that is basically the equivalent of the charges Iñaki faces,” Murphy said.

“In the last hearing in November we argued that the Spanish authorities were knowingly abusing the extradition process because they know they do not have any evidence.

“Expert psychiatrist Dr Adrian Grounds testified that to return Iñaki to the Spanish prison system, where he spent more than 17 years of his 21 years in jail in solitary confinement, would be oppressive as it would likely result in him going on a hunger strike. We believe if this were to happen, Iñaki, who has endured several extremely lengthy hunger strikes in the past, would not survive.

“But the judge backed himself out of the corner he was painted into by these facts by simply saying that all of these issues were ultimately matters for the Spanish authorities to look at.”

‘Backfire’

Don’t Extradite the Basques spokesperson Emma Clancy said that the main message the campaign wanted to leave with people was that the political nature of the court’s ruling meant that there was a huge role for a political campaign to influence the outcome of the case.
“The court’s ruling was essentially a public vote of confidence in the Spanish judicial system, confidence which we believe is absolutely unwarranted,” she said.

“We need to now mobilise public opinion and make it very clear that we don’t accept this judgment, we reject this vote of confidence in the Spanish judicial system – a system which is responsible for more than 750 political prisoners being held in Spanish jails, more than at any point since the death of General Franco.”

She welcomed the fact that the case against Belfast-based Basque Arturo ‘Benat’ Villanueva had been dropped on March 3, but noted that another young Basque man, Garikoitz Ibarluzea, had been arrested in London recently in a virtually identical case.

“The Spanish authorities are aggressively pursuing Basque political exiles around the world. Venezuela and France have recently rejected such extradition warrants.

“Belfast appears to have been singled out – but a strong, organised, politically aware community such as this, with strong ties of friendship to the Basque people, is not going to sit back and let this happen.

“If they bring these attacks here, then we need to make this backfire on the Spanish government by organising defence campaigns that highlight the legal flaws but also raise international awareness of the human rights abuses being carried out by the Spanish government.”
She urged all those present to sign the statement calling for the extradition to be rejected and attend the solidarity demonstration outside court on June 28.

De Juana’s wife, Irati Aranzabal, thanked everyone for attending the meeting and appealed for community support in the effort to defeat the latest attack in the long campaign of harassment against her husband.
The sign-on statement is available at www.dontextraditethebasques.org

Statement from the London Basque Committee

The case of Garikoitz Ibarluzea

Gari was arrested on Sunday 14/03/2010 by the metropolitan police on behalf of the Spanish authorities under a European Arrest Warrant alleging “terrorist offences”.

Back in October 2002 Gari was arrested with another seven youths from the Basque Country, accused of taking part in specified acts of public disorder and sabotage. Gari was held under incommunicado detention. He complained of torture after this detention but Spanish courts show little interest in investigating the numerous complaints they receive. Many human rights organisations such as Amnesty International and the UN rapporteur on human rights have made complaints and recommendations but, instead of decreasing, these practices has been on the increase.

Gari’s case is just one of many which has been taking place in the Basque Country since the intensification of repressive measures over the last decade. Gari is one of thousands of people imprisoned under the new Spanish anti-terrorist laws, which are being used against activists who have not been involved in any ‘terrorist’ activities.

Initially, these youths faced sentences between 32 and 96 years of imprisonment. By comparison, a convicted rapist and murdered of a young girl in a high profile case that took place around the same time was sentenced to only 12 years. However, in cases of kale borroka (street action that may involve burning of cash points or other public property) the prosecution use astonishingly severe sentences to coerce people into admission of culpability. They also use statements obtained by the police under duress, even if the defendants claim that they have been subjected to torture or ill-treatment during the police interrogation.

This was the case for Igor Zearreta and Egoitz Fernandez. They were arrested on similar charges by the Guardia Civil. Their sentences were negotiated in a plea bargaining process and reduced to less than two years which spared them from jail, but the Spanish judiciary didn’t fulfil the legally binding accord and they ended up in prison. More than 250 people have been detained and imprisoned in similar circumstances, held from between five days to three years without trial and even tortured.

The UN special rapporteur on human rights on a mission to Spain in 2008 criticised this practice and stated:

Consequently, acts such as the burning of an ATM machine are interpreted as terrorist offences, when committed as part of organized street violence, known as kale borroka in the Basque language. Kale borroka is practised in Basque cities by gangs of youths that, according to the Spanish authorities, are outside the formal membership of ETA but nonetheless support it. Crimes within the scope of article 577 even when committed by minors, fall under the jurisdiction of the Audiencia Nacional and may result in prison sentences of several years, while the same acts committed outside the Basque country would in practice be treated differently and lead to a considerably lower punishment, if any.

Having been told that many young persons participating in kale borroka are not in any way supporting acts by ETA, and that this violence is directed against physical objects, not individuals, the Special Rapporteur is concerned that making a general link between kale borroka and terrorism might have counterproductive effects on the fight against terrorism. Aggravated prison sentences of up to 10 years, including for minors, might result in an escalation of violence and in pushing some individuals into the ranks of ETA.

The Spanish media has been backing the strategy of the Spanish Government, presenting Gari as one of the most wanted ETA members, condemning Gari and violating his right of presumed innocence. His is not the only case were the media has been actively supporting the prosecution. Ainhoa Adin and Eneko Gallarraga were presented as the most wanted ETA members by the Spanish media when they were arrested. However their release was kept very quiet by the media.

Ainhoa was arrested in her home in Hendaye, where she lives with her partner and 3 children. According to the media she was one of the most wanted ETA members. The police raided her home and didn’t find anything. She was subsequently released with no charges against her. Eneko was also arrested following a Euro warrant issued by the Spanish courts. According to Spanish media he was also one of the most wanted member of ETA. On their release the media kept silent. In Gari’s case, the police didn’t even bother to raid his house, which is truly atypical in cases of terrorism. This probably means that the security forces already know he is not a threat to anyone.

The silence around Basque Inigo Makazaga’s release from prison is even more serious. He was arrested in England in 2001 and was eventually released after spending 6 years in prison. At the time of the arrest he was accused of cooperating with an armed group, of possessing explosives and of conspiracy to murder. After spending 5 years in an English prison Makazaga was extradited to Spain. The prosecution asked for a 10 year sentence as well as a 300,000 Euro fine and a 10 year ban from living in his home town. Makazaga was only sentenced to 3 and a half years and was released. Gareth Peirce one of the most famous criminal solicitors in the UK said: “We have seen reports from the UN rapporteur of torture and realised there’s systematic use of torture and inhuman and degrading treatment of Basques. There’s a pattern here of fabrication of evidence that’s shocking. He would not receive a fair trial.”

Under this circumstances, it is not surprising that Gari failed to attend his final hearing. It is obvious to anybody who knows the situation in the Basque Country that he didn’t have the slightest hope of gaining justice from the Spanish state, which has answered the legitimate demand of the Basque people for their national liberation over the years with nothing but more repression and violence. Unlike his friends, who accepted a lesser sentence in exchange of culpability, he decided to leave the Basque Country to restart his life in England.

Since then, Gari has been living a normal life in the UK, working in central London as a Chef and volunteering for the Basque Society in his free time. Until the day of his arrest, he made many friends and he was an active and committed member of the community, involved in social activities carried out in the open, in the public domain.

It is clear that the case of Gari is – as happens so frequently in the Basque Country – merely a case of political convenience. He is just one of the thousands of Basques who have to seek refuge in different parts of the world as a consequence of repression against their political beliefs and activities. The Spanish state uses extradition warrants as a means of silencing the voices of their political opponents in an attempt to control international access to the truth.

If extradited to Spain Gari faces an uncertain future. The physical conditions of Basque Political Prisoners are seriously deteriorating due to dispersion, beatings, reduction of hours outside prison cells, restrictions on visits and increased isolation. If he’s sent back to the Spanish state he is at serious risk of further persecution and torture (torture against Basques in Spain is reported yearly by AI).

The only thing that Gari is guilty of is of loving his country and his people and speaking out for their liberation.

Therefore we demand the release of Gari from prison right now!!!

To get in touch with thr Freedom for Gari campaign email freedomforgari@googlemail.com

Watch the Youtube video from the Freedom for Gari campaign here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6aOqco68zc

Message from Ophelia, the partner of Garikoitz Ibarlucea Murua

As you know our worst nightmares have come true since Spain has taken the European Presidency. I am fighting for not only my future, but the one of my friends and my partner who has been arrested and been turned into a play figure between two Presidents, namely being the French and the Spanish one, that are struggling for votes.

I beg you to help me, to get attention, to raise awareness for this nearly ancient issue of people being condemned as terrorists when they have absolutely nothing to do with violence.

My boyfriend, Garikoitz, has been living in the UK for more than 4 years. He has a bank account, an NI number, he pays tax, has a car including insurance – he even has a UK drivers license.

On Sunday the 14th of March he was arrested at work. A questionable European Warrant was produced and all of a sudden Spanish media was full with stories about how Gari was a wanted person, a high-profile ETA member etc etc. NONE of that is true.

The pictures that were used in the media were of the Mallorca car bomb attacks last year. Gari has never been anywhere near there.

A very long time ago, Gari was member of a local youth group in his home town. They were politically aware, but not violent. However that didn’t stop the Spanish Government from declaring this group along with many others illegal and arresting groups of young people, throwing them into jail.

Gari was arrested at night, kicked down the stairs, his home was raided but nothing was found. Obviously – because there was nothing to be found in the first place.

Gari and 7 others were kept incommunicado for 5 days and were all heavily tortured. Still no conviction could be made, they were released. But that didn’t make the Spanish look so good, so the witch hunt prevailed, eventually they were accused of further ridiculously hair brained bullshit.

Gari left the Basque Country then. He still has nightmares and is claustrophobic from when they put a plastic bag over his head.

Torture is still a method that is being used as part of Spain’s vile and barbaric “anti terror laws”. To get their way with people, the Spanish authorities label the victims as terrorists, because that frightens people most.

Gari is now being held in Wandsworth prison. Bail was refused and he faces extradition.

The Spanish authorities are trying to add many extra charges. It turns out the other 7 youths had spent 1 ½ years in prison for nothing. But Gari had left, and here is the thing – he failed to attend a hearing. He was scared, he had just escaped torture, he knew there would not be a fair trial.

I am Basque too, but I have been brought up in a number of different countries because my parents wanted me to grow up free.

I love the Basque Country and I have been fighting with WORDS for a long time. This is where it finally becomes my life. Gari is my everything and I am fighting windmills.

I tirelessly work day and night and try to get human rights organisations involved as well. There are websites, Facebook profiles (Freedom for Gari, Garikoitz Ibarluzea Murua) and we are demonstrating, handing out leaflets etc etc.

If Gari is in prison the trouble only begins. He will be put somewhere far away from his home and they will try to deny us visits. Now Spanish prison staff are trying to strip-search visitors for political prisoners, because they know it will be easy to deny them access that way.

It is a terrible witch hunt that is going on right in the middle of a supposedly ‘developed’ and safer part of the world.

I have lost my fear, I will fight this and I will be spending as much time to campaign to free Gari as is needed. I’d like to appeal to everyone who believes in basic human rights to help me in this case in whatever way you can.

Please get in contact with the campaign at freedomforgari@googlemail.com

The following poem was written by Gari in prison this week.

Denok gara eguzki berberaren azpian
Denok amesto ohi dugu llargi berberaren azpian
Denok eginen dugu bisitza zeru berberaren azpian
Zeru azpian dira herriak, bizi nahi duten herriak
Aske nahi luketen bizitzak, gizon-emakumeak

“… eta oraindik zeru azpian naiz
baina zerua ikustezin bilakatu da
niretzat naiz.”

We all are under the same sun.
We all do dream under the same moon.
We all do live under the same sky.
Under the sky where countries are hoping to survive. People looking forward to be free.

“..and I am under that same sky,
but, for me the sky seems to
disappear very often”. – Garikoitz Ibarluzea Murua

Director of of ex-prisoners’ support group Coiste na n-larchimi, Michael Culbert, has spoken out this week in support of Basque ex-prisoner Iñaki de Juana, who is fighting extradition to Spain.

Culbert said: “As an ex-prisoner and speaking on behalf of ex-prisoners in Belfast, we want to say that what is happening to Iñaki de Juana is absolutely abominable.

“We’re talking about a man facing jail, and possibly death, because somebody allegedly read a letter that said ‘On with the ball’.

“This is a political case – not a legal case. If it was a legal issue the Spanish authorities would have produced some evidence that Iñaki had committed an offence, but they can’t.

“I don’t know which is worse – the Spanish or British judicial systems – but I have to say the decision by a Belfast court to extradite him is appalling.

“Iñaki is a strong supporter of the Basque peace process, and of the Irish peace process. He moved to Ireland to begin a new way of life with his wife and he is entitled to do so.

“The people of west Belfast are very politically mature because of our own experiences of the repression of our basic rights, and I believe this community can see very clearly the political machinations behind this case.

“We believe that if the extradition proceeds there is no doubt Iñaki will be returned to jail – that is the Spanish government’s goal. I’d encourage everyone in west Belfast, and indeed everyone in Ireland, to get behind Iñaki as he appeals against this decision.”

Prosecution will not appeal against ruling

The Don’t Extradite the Basques Campaign has welcomed the news that the Spanish authorities will not appeal against last week’s High Court ruling that the extradition warrant against Arturo ‘Beñat’ Villanueva is invalid.

Mr Villanueva welcomed the decision and urged people to now support the efforts to stop the extradition of Iñaki de Juana.

Speaking today, Villanueva said: “I am obviously relieved by the news that myself and my partner can now get on with our lives here in Belfast, without the threat of facing time in a Spanish jail for my political beliefs hanging over my head.

“I would like to thank my legal team and the Don’t Extradite the Basques Campaign for their support during the past year. I have received an enormous amount of solidarity from the people of west Belfast, including community leaders, Assembly members and MEP Bairbre de Brun, and I would like to warmly thank all of them for this support.

“The case against me was motivated by malice and vindictiveness on the part of the Spanish authorities. There was no evidence provided that I had committed any crime, and it was obvious that I was being pursued for my political beliefs in favour of independence for Euskal Herria (the Basque Country).

“I would also like to express my support for Iñaki de Juana in his effort to remain in Ireland. Like myself, Iñaki is being targeted by the Spanish government for his political beliefs and the charges against him are nothing short of ridiculous.

“For Inaki to return to the Spanish prison system, where he is likely to face death, on the basis of such spurious charges would be a crime. We must all do what we can to prevent this extradition from proceeding.

“Today in the Basque Country, the Abertzale Left is engaging in dialogue to build a peaceful and democratic framework through which the long-running national conflict can be resolved. But instead of seizing this opportunity for peace, the Spanish authorities insist on pursuing punitive and unconstructive actions such as this.

“I would urge the Irish people to get behind the efforts to prevent the extradition of Iñaki de Juana for the sake of defending the basic human rights of the Basque people, which are being violated every day by the Spanish government.”