Basque Mother of two gets ready to go to jail

[MichaelMcGuire]

Nahikari Otaegi, a young Basque mother of two children, is getting ready to go to jail. She will be bringing her seven month-old daughter Oihana with her but will have to leave her three year-old son

She has been sentenced to six years of prison for alleged membership of SEGI – the banned Basque pro-independence left youth organisation. According to the Spanish state, to be a member of SEGI is to be helping ETA, the armed Basque resistance group; however no “terrorist” action was proved against either Nahikari or her seven male co-sentenced, no possession of arms, no plans, maps – nothing like that.

The evidence against them consisted of T-shirts, CDs and posters which indicated that they are pro-Basque independence and for socialism, in accordance with which they have been doing open political work for years. But according to the Spanish state, as in the infamous words of a previous harrier of pro-independence Basques, the 'liberal' judge Garzón: “everything is ETA”.




http://www.indymedia.ie/article/103585

Eight Donostia/San Sebastian youths have been sentenced in Madrid to six years in jail and today, Tuesday 16th April, an arrest warrant has been issued against them. They could be arrested any time now. What’s the reason to sentence them to such prison terms? Quite simply, for having been members of the Basque pro-independence youth organization Segi. The sentence states “membership of terrorist organization.” The only evidences produced against them were CD’s, t-shirts, books and posters. They want to imprison them for their political work.

Most of the youths denounced before the judge that they had been tortured while held in incommunicado detention and had been forced to sign self-incrimination statements. 20 months later they were released on bail after paying thousands of euros. Now that the final judgement has been passed they want to imprison them. Before them many more young people have been imprisoned for the same reason in the Basque Country. The Spanish authorities have the will to continue doing so. Nowadays there are more than 200 people awaiting trial in the Basque Country for being members of community and political organizations. That this happens in a 21st century state it’s an absolute outrage.

[MichaelMcGuire]

1. Kick

6 years for holding a belief of self-determination for the Basque people. I rip into the British state for its control of media, where their fiction is unquestioned. But I'll give them this I'm not likely to be put in jail for holding my political beliefs.

[Nye Bevan]

4. And Scotland is going to vote on becoming independent.

So not only do you not go to jail, you actually get independence if that's what the majority wants.

[MichaelMcGuire]

6. Scottish sovereignty rests with the people and always will

be able to determine the form of government that suits our needs.

[a la izquierda]

2. They sure do look like terrorists

My husband spent time in Basque Country. He said the people were amazing, like anywhere else.

[Cirque du So-What]

3. That too has been my experience

although I've never been to the Basque region of Spain, it's a common thread through every place I've visited. The people are amazing. Governments? Not so much.

[MichaelMcGuire]

7. I had a good few Basque friends I see them as fellow Celts.

The way the state is treating them pisses me off no end

[Downwinder]

5. Material Support.