Dublin - Solidarity With Iñaki De Juana

dublin | rights, freedoms and repression | press release Thursday February 15, 2007 00:10 by KJ - Irish Basque Committees

24 Hour Fast For Basque Hunger Striker

On Saturday the 17th of February there will be a 24 hour fast in Dublin to protest the continued detention of Iñaki De Juana. The fast begins at 2pm outside the Bank of Ireland (Opposite Trinity College). At 8pm the participants will move to the Spanish Embassy at Merlyn Park, Ballsbridge, where the fast will continue.

By Saturday Iñaki will have suffered 103 consecutive days without accepting food. During this period he has been forcibly sedated and tied to the bed by his wrists and ankles. His body is now covered in ulcers and he suffers convulsions and spasms. Doctors have warned his family there is a high risk of imminent death.

Iñaki is a Basque political prisoner who should have been freed on October 25, 2004. However, a Spanish Special Court prevented his release. On 7th August 2006, Iñaki began a hunger strike to protest his continued detention. He endured 63 days before being deceived by the Spanish authorities and calling a halt to his fast on October 8th.

Iñaki was then sentenced to an extra 12 years and 7 months in prison for writing two opinion articles published in the newspaper 'Egin'. An already weakened Iñaki started a new hunger strike on the 7th of November, only a few weeks after ending the first one. His sentence has since been reduced but he is determined to maintain his fast until he gets justice and is freed.

Please protest this blatant injustice by coming along to join in the fast or to show your support.