Thursday, April 29, 2004

Zapatero: Strike One

I told you certain things don't change for the Basques, one of them is the state of exception applied to those who dare to defend the Basque language and culture.

Zapatero, the "socialist", the man that will allegedly fix the fascist legacy of his predecessor is now the Prime Minister in functions, and what happens?

The Spanish Court slaps Inaki Uria with a 600,000 euros bail (that is 600,000 dollars give or take), he is in jail as part of the Egunkaria case, Aznar's junta accused the Basque newspaper Egunkaria of receiving funds from ETA, a year later they are still to show any evidence to support this accusation, most of the people that was arrested back then are now free because the "legal" system in Spain could not prove the link between the newspaper and the armed group, yet in order for Inaki Uria (a journalist and a political prisoner) to walk free, he has to pay an indecent amount of money.

This proves my statement that in Spain the Basques are guilty until proven innocent, and that the Spanish "legal" system will take any chance to add insult to injury. Over a year ago they deprived Inaki Uria of his liberty under shaky accusations, now that they are acknowledging they do not have a solid case against him they demand an amount of money that would bankrupt any average Joe.

Zapatero, that is strike one, don't worry, as for myself, I wouldn't been surprised if you are in the process of reactivating the GAL as I write these lines.

From Berria English:

Uria required to post bail of 600,000 euros to go free

The 1st Court of the Spanish National Criminal Court's Penal Division has not only set an extremely high figure, it has also denied the detainee the chance to provide security and has ordered him to report to the police station every day

Imanol Murua-Uria DONOSTIA (San Sebastian)
The Spanish National Criminal Court has imposed an unprecedented bail figure on Inaki Uria, the former managing director of Egunkaria: the 1st Court of the Penal Division has ruled that he will have to post bail amounting to 600,000 euros to secure his release on-trial, and has denied him the opportunity of paying by providing security. The court's panel of judges has taken this decision in response to an appeal presented by Uria's defense team, and has thus overruled the order issued by Juan Del Olmo, the instructing judge, that their client should be remanded in custody. The panel of judges has ruled that Uria will also have to report to the police station every day in addition to posting bail.

In the brief writ issued by Siro Garcia, the head of the panel of judges, Antonio Diaz-Delgado, the judge responsible for delivering the leading opinion, and the Judge Manuela Fernandez, Uria has been granted release on bail, because the danger of his hampering the investigations is believed to have disappeared in view of the time that has elapsed. Nevertheless, the strict precautionary measures have been imposed, because the danger of his absconding is not thought to have disappeared. Defense Counsel Jose Maria Elosua regards the setting of such high bail as "absurd" and is planning to file an appeal. Elosua went to the Spanish National Criminal Court yesterday to talk to the judge responsible for delivering the leading opinion in the panel of judges about reducing the bail or allowing for it to be paid through providing security, but he didn't even agree to see him. The lawyer Enekoitz Etxeberria will be meeting with Inaki Uria at the Aranjuez prison this morning to inform him of the decision and to discuss the steps that need to be taken. If the appeal is presented, it will not be necessary to await the Court's decision. If this is decided and there is a possibility of finding the money, the bail could be posted.

The lawyer Elosua believes that the panel of judges has not borne in mind "who Inaki Uria is nor what means he has of being able to post the bail". By demanding bail of 600,000 euros "it has set an amount that cannot be paid, unless it is with the support of the public". The lawyer has pointed out that bearing in mind the decisions taken until now in the Egunkaria case, another measure is being used in Uria's case: "They are treating Inaki differently, without justification and, among other things, without stating the reasons in the writ."


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