Celtic League - treatment of Basque prisoners in breach of prison rules

This from the Celtic League:

SPAIN - TREATMENT OF BASQUE PRISONERS IN BREACH OF 'PRISON RULES'

The General Secretary (GS) of the League attended a march for the
right of Basque political prisoners to be repatriated to the Basque
Country this weekend (21st June 2008).

The march, held in the Basque city of Irunia/Pamplona, was to protest
against the deliberate policy of dispersion of Basque political prisoners
by the Spanish state. Today almost 700 prisoners are held at an average
distance of 694 kilometres from their homes in the Basque Country.


The Celtic League has pursued a policy of repatriation for prisoners
from the Celtic countries for many decades and has passed a number
of resolutions related to this topic. The League has also highlighted
the Basque political prisoner cause a number of times (see link below):

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2425

Many of the Basque political prisoners have reported being tortured
by the authorities while in jail and other have been detained way
past their date of appointed release.

Reporting from Irunia/Pamplona, the GS said:

"There were several hundred protesters marching in silence with the
friends and family members of prisoners leading the march carrying
photos of those jailed. These people were followed by protesters who
carried banners calling for the repatriation of Basque political prisoners,
their freedom and their right to serve out their jail terms without
the threat of torture. The march was accompanied by dozens of very
well armed police, despite its peaceful purpose."

A short film of the demonstration can be found at the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgV51H5hQts

The Celtic League has in the past reminded the British, French and
Spanish governments of Rule 17.1 of the (Model) European Prison Rules
adopted by the Council of Europe as a benchmark International standard
for the treatment of those deprived of their liberty.

Rule 17.1 says: "Prisoners shall be allocated, as far as possible,
to prisons close to their homes or places of social rehabilitation."

Clearly in relation to its treatment of Basque prisoners Spain continues
to be in breach of Rule 17.1.

Related articles on Celtic News at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2404
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/2120
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/1987
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/1892
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/1512
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/1375
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/851
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/message/401

J B Moffatt
Director of Information
Celtic League

23/06/08


The Celtic League has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It works
to promote cooperation between these countries and campaigns on a
broad range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights
human rights abuse, monitors all military activity and focuses on
socio-economic issues.

TEL (UK)01624 877918 MOBILE (UK)07624 491609

Internet site at:

http://celticleague.net
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/