Iñaki Welcome in Ireland

25/09/08

Iñaki de Juana Chaos, the Basque pro-independence activist and former political prisoner who travelled to Ireland on his release from jail, is facing uncertainty this week as to his future liberty.

The Twenty-Six County government has announced they will cooperate with any requests from the Spanish authorities, who are eager to return Iñaki to incarceration.

There have also been reports that Interpol has contacted An Garda regarding Iñaki.

De Juana Chaos last year endured a prolonged hunger strike to gain his liberty after the Spanish government tried to lengthen his prison sentence with charges related to articles he wrote for freely available newspapers.

éirígí chairperson Brian Leeson has called on the Dublin government to secure Iñaki’s human rights and liberty by allowing him to stay in Ireland indefinitely, free from the fear of arrest.

“There are many thousands of republican ex-prisoners the length and breadth of Ireland who will automatically understand Iñaki’s plight,” Leeson said.

“This man spent two decades in prison as a result of his participation in the Basque struggle for national independence. On his release, he was immediately threatened with further persecution.

“Given the Spanish state’s hostile attitude towards the Basque independence movement, it is clear that Iñaki faces the risk of further imprisonment.

“Widely supported political parties that demand independence for the Basque Country have been banned by the Spanish state – in the last week two more have been declared illegal – while close to 1,000 people are languishing in jail on political charges. In a further attack on freedom of expression, popular newspapers have been targeted and closed.

“On this basis the Twenty-Six County authorities should refuse any request to cooperate in the further persecution of Iñaki and ensure that his human rights and liberty are protected.”

Brian concluded: “Ireland has a proud history of solidarity and friendship with the Basque Country that stretches back to the republican volunteers who fought there to defeat Franco and fascism.

“éirígí wishes Iñaki a long and happy stay in this country and offers continuing support to the Basque people in their struggle against the fascistic policies of the modern-day Spanish government.”