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
