Free Iñigo Makazaga Campaign

This call to join a campaign to free Basque political prisoner Iñigo Makazaga comes straight from England:

Free Iñigo Makazaga Demo

Sat 22nd Feb outside Belmarsh Prison (starting from the Belmarsh Station - asambly Plumstead Station London SE18 at 13pm ^ train from London Bridge direction to Dartford )

Iñigo Makazaga (24) is a Basque imprisoned in Belmarsh prison (London), in Category A special security status. Iñigo was an active member of the Basque student movement, as well as a member of the pro-independence Basque coalition Herri Batasuna's local committee in his neighbourhood of Vitoria-Gasteiz.

He was an active and committed member of the community involved in political and social activities carried out in the open within the public domain. As from February 1996 Iñigo found himself falsely accused of taking part in certain acts of public disorder. After a huge media and police campaign he was accused of sabotage acts. Iñigo was arrested suffering mistreatment. The police "threatened to split my head open if I didn't state what they wanted me to, all the while they punched me in the shoulders, in the chest, the ears and pulled my hair and threw me against the wall and to the floor."

In these circumstances of terror, Iñigo decided to leave the Basque Country to restart his life. He chose the UK. In order to avoid more hassle from the police he decided to hide his identity. However, Iñigo was arrested in Dover (25/04/2001) facing a claim for extradition from the Spanish Council of Ministers because of alleged membership of an armed organisation. The Spanish media went back to the attack accusing Iñigo and violating his right of presumed innocence.

We can notice that the case of Iñigo Makazaga is merely -and as it happens so many times in the Basque Country- a case of political convenience. Iñigo is another one among the thousands of Basques having to seek refuge in different parts of the world as the consequence of repression against their political beliefs and activities. Now it will be 1 year since Iñigo was arrested and theer are notcharges against him. Meanwhile he's been held in isolation. If he's sent back to the Spanish State his life runs serious risks fearing more torture.

Because of this we demand the release of Iñigo from prison and we want to invite you to join us in the demo to happen on Sat 22nd Feb outside Belmarsh Prison (starting from the Belmarsh Station - asambly Plumstead Station London SE18 at 13pm ^ train from London Bridge direction to Dartford )

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