Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Ógra Shinn Féin welcome the release of Basque prisoner Iňaki de Juana Chaos

Orlagh McCauley

International Officer

Ógra Shinn Féin

Basque prisoner Iňaki de Juana Chaos has been released from jail in Aranjuez, Madrid while on hunger strike for the third time.

On July 16th, de Juana Chaos commenced hunger strike for the third time against the seizure of his property by Spanish authorities in Donostia. He was released on August 2nd having served a total of 21 years of a 3,000 year sentence.

De Juana Chaos first commenced hunger strike in August 2006. Having completed a university degree in jail and under the Spanish penal law of a maximum sentence of 30 years meant he was eligible for release. However at the First Penal Court of the Spanish Audiencia Nacional, Gómez Bermúdez contested the remission.

As his arguments against could not be sustained under Spanish law, the judge decreed his remand in custody for the alleged offence of membership of an armed group and terrorists threats.

The hunger strike lasted a total of 63 days, after reassurance his sentence was being considered and the Spanish authorities force feed him through a tube.

A second hunger strike commenced following the additional sentencing of 12 years for articles de Juana Chaos wrote in the Basque newspaper Gara. This lasted over 90 days and the photos above show how close he was to death. His sentencing was reduced to three years which concluded in August.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is good news. Best of look to this brave comrade!

Anonymous said...

failte abhaile Iňaki!

Anonymous said...

I am sorry but this is not good news for the familes of all the inocent victims of the ETA. The Irish conflict is completly different from the Basque one.

Anonymous said...

Anon; This brave man took it upon himself to fight against the facist spanish government on behalf of the basque people. of course ETA has made terrible regretable blunders like alot of revolutionary armed groups throughout the world, including the IRA. That doesnt mean that you denounce the demands of an oppressed people who are entitled to their political and social freedom! JO TA KE!