No
extradition of Juanra to Spain!!
In January 2002, Juanra Rodriguez was arrested in Amsterdam on the grounds of claims by Spain that he allegedly provided information to a unit of ETA in Barcelona. Juanra has spent over five months in solitary confinement in Vught. The judge released him on bail in June.
We believe Juanra has become a victim of the completely out-of-hand ‘war on terrorism’ in Europe. The Spanish state is using the war against ETA to silence an ever- increasing group of political opponents.
This shows in the way the Basque independence movement is treated: instead
of dialogue and a political solution, political parties, newspapers and
other institutions are outlawed and criminalised.
But Spain uses torture and political repression against other movements
and communities as well, as is shown each year in the Amnesty International
reports.
Earlier this year, Spain tried to push the EU into declaring the anti-globalisation movement to be ‘terrorist’. Thus, the ‘war on terrorism’ that started after September 11 is becoming more and more a war against all forms of political opposition.
The accusations against Juanra are not backed up by any real evidence
in the extradition request. Most of it is based on a statement gotten
under torture, by a person who immediately recanted it when he got out
of the notorious Spanish police cells.
Spain produces new claims like rabbits from a magician’s hat. The
official charges against Juanra have already been revised four times,
each time without presenting new evidence for the sometimes contradictory
accusations.
The extradition of Juanra by the Dutch state would mean direct acceptance and complicity with torture and political repression in Spain. This is unacceptable!!
Especially right now, in a political climate where all kinds of civil rights are under threat even in the Netherlands, it is very important that we show clearly that a lot of people do care!
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Come and visit Juanra’s trial on September 17, 9.00 h, at Parnassusweg 220 in Amsterdam.
There will be performances, music and speakers to voice our resistance. -
An information-evening will take place on September 13, 21 h at Vrankrijk,
Spuistraat 216, Amsterdam