(AMARC/IFEX) – AMARC has received reports from Tas Tas Irratia Librea, a member radio station, that on 15 July 1998, Spanish police, under the orders of Judge Baltasar Garzon, raided the offices of the newspaper “Egin” and radio station Egin Irratia. The offices were sealed and operations of both media suspended. A number of people […]
(AMARC/IFEX) – AMARC has received reports from Tas Tas Irratia Librea, a
member radio station, that on 15 July 1998, Spanish police, under the orders
of Judge Baltasar Garzon, raided the offices of the newspaper “Egin” and
radio station Egin Irratia. The offices were sealed and operations of both
media suspended. A number of people related to ORAIN S.A., the company that
owns these media, have been arrested. According to the information received
by AMARC, the intervention by Judge Garzon appears to be
linked to investigations into the financial base of the armed Basque
separatist organisation ETA.
“Egin” has an editorial line close to the Basque left nationalist
organisation, Harri Batasuna, and has long been a thorn in the side for the
Spanish authorities. However, the organisation has operated within the law
and previous attempts to close the paper and the radio have failed. As well
as being a voice for the Basque nationalist movement, “Egin” has provided an
important outlet for alternative viewpoints such as feminists, ecologists,
animal rights groups, anti-militarist and squatting movements.
AMARC is concerned that a legally operating radio station and newspaper have
been closed down without proper explanation or due legal process. The
closure of a radio station and a newspaper on the summary decision of an
administrative judge is contrary to freedom of expression, regardless of the
basis for action against the individuals who have been arrested.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
newspaper
basis
Appeals To
Judge Baltasar Garzon
Fax: +34 91 3194731Madame Margarita Mariscal de Gante y Miron,
Minister of Justice
Fax : +34 91 3902277Please copy appeals to the source if possible and to Tas Tas Irratia Librea,
Fax: +34 94 4164088
