2007/XII/24
ASKAPENA FACED WITH 18/98 SUMMARY, AND THE INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY

As a result of the 18/98 Summary, the democratic "quality" of the Spanish state has been spread beyond its borders. International observers attended several sessions of the Summary, and they denounced its many irregularities, so the political and repressive character of the Spanish National Court is now well known among international lawyers. This Court was created by Franco, and 32 years after his death, it is still punishing the political fight.

Many journalists all over the world know now the closure of of the newspaper Egin and Egunkaria, and the magazine Ardi Beltza, and the detentions, imprisonment and tortures suffered by many of the people who worked in these media. More and more fields and countries are now aware of the lack of credibility of the democratic character of the Spanish state.

This is the reason why more and more international agents (senators, parliamentarians, honorary presidents...) are ready to act as mediators in the Basque conflict, and they do not understand that the some of the interlocutors are in prison. This is the reason why the Spanish National Court, the Spanish government and the powers of the state are the only ones to believe in the "terrorism without arms".
In Madrid a platform in solidarity with the defendants and to denounce the political character of the Summary has been working tirelessly. On December 17 they held a talk attended by 150 people, and on December 19 they were expeled from the courtroom with the defendants. At 20:00 the rallied in front of the Ministry of "Justice". This time, there were not fascist presence to bother them (maybe, they received orders "from above", after the incidents happened in November, where there took place serious clases after a 16 years old boy was killed by a fascist.)

How could we thank this solidarity coming from the streets of Madrid, the determination they showed in front of the paramilitar fascist, the tenderness and support they showed during so many months?

Not only in Madrid, but a also in Barcelona 'Euskal Herriaren Lagunak' ("Friends of Euskal Herria") 200 people rallied to show their solidarity with the defendants in the 18/98 Summary. The slogan was "The Spanish National Court is an extraordinary Court". There were chorused slogans in favor of Euskal Herria and Països Catalans, and at the end of the act both hymns, 'Eusko Gudariak' and 'Els Segadors', were sung. There were representatives of many political organizations and popular movements, as well as many media.

On December 19, more than 200 people rallied in front of the Justice Palace in Rome to denounce the 18/98 Summary, and made a demonstration. On December 20, the initiative 'Euskal Herriaren Lagunak' was presented in Milano. Three weeks ago, the day after the first detentions many people rallied in front of the Spanish Tourism Office in Milano too. Also in Italy, representatives of all the leftist forces and about 20 senators and parliamentarians signed a letter asking the Italian government to act and to take the necessary measures to solve the Basque conflict in a democratic way, and to stop the ongoing repressive tendency of the Spanish government.

In the next days there will be more actions in different places in Europe denouncing the 18/98 Summary.

Askapena thanks all these demonstrations of internationalist solidarity, and we want to tell all the friends of Euskal Herria that we will keep on working and fighting for our people because this is the best way to thank your solidarity, and we will keep on working for an Euskal Herria more and more internationalist in order to return all the solidarity we receive from you, in order that Euskal Herria always be an ally in the liberation of the peoples in the World.

  · Fotos de las movilizaciones