🚀 go-pugleaf

Subj:    Letter to Spanish authorities (fwd)
Date:   98-07-28 04:20:54 EDT
From:   research@ingrid.misa.org.na (Raa)
To:     cpeh@aol.com (Basque Congress for Peace)


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27 July 1998

Madame Maragarita Mariscal de Gante y Miron
Minister of Justice
Spain

Dear Minister


ARTICLE 19, the International Centre Against Censorship, is deeply
concerned
at reports that the newspaper, Egin, and radio station,
Egin Irratia, have been closed down by the police on the summary
decision of Judge Baltasar Garzon. We understand that he ordered
that they be temporarily suspended.

As you will be well aware, the peaceful expression of opinions is
protected
under the freedom of expression articles of international human rights
treaties to which Spain is a state party, the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights (Article 19), and the European Convention of
Human Rights (Article 10).

In the present case, it is reported that individuals connected with Egin
and
Egin Irratia are connected with the outlawed ETA organization, though it
is
unclear to us whether formal charges have been brought against them.  The
closure of the two media outlets, however, constitutes an extreme form of
censorship, and one which cannot be justified on grounds of their
contributors' alleged connections. On the contrary, if either of the two
media outlets is alleged to have published information in breach of the
law,
it should be possible for the authorities to bring charges on this account
and allow them due process of law, not summarily suspend the media
outlets.

We would welcome urgent clarification regarding this decision by Judge
Garzon, and whether any individuals connected with the two media outlets
are
to be charged with offences and, if so, the nature of those charges.

We would also urge you to order the lifting of the suspension orders
imposed
against Egin and Egin Irratia in order that they can resume publication
and
transmissions without delay.

Yours sincerely

Dr Frances D'Souza
Executive Director


Article 19

Lancaster House
33 Islington High Street
London
N1 9LH
tel: 0171-278-9292
fax: 0171-713-1356

article19@gn.apc.org

Information distributed by:
Raashied Galant
MISA Researcher
Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)
Private Bag 13386
Windhoek, Namibia
Tel. +264 61 232975, Fax. 248016
e-mail: research@ingrid.misa.org.na
web: http://www.misanet.org
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