1. Introduction
2. Day of the Catalan Freedom Fighter: January 26th
3. HAPPY REBEL BIRTHDAY: January 26th, 7th anniversary of Rescat
4. 7 Years without Zigor & Diego
5. Solidarity with the victims of reprisal in Alacant & Perpignan
6. Catalan Prisoner Solidarity
7. Trial of the 4F Case Begins
8. Declaration in Tarragona for burning the Spanish King’s picture
9. The Student Union of the Catalan Countries (SEPC) in Defense of an Education in Catalan
10. The Spanish ex-minister of Defense openly incites the practice of torture
11. Xmas Rallies of Solidarity For Prisoners
12. Who We Are!
13. Subscription Details


1. INTRODUCTION

This is the e-news service of the Catalan Solidarity: Ireland Committee titled Llibertat! – Saoirse!

This e-news service is distributed throughout Ireland to both political and community activists and others interested parties such as prisoner and anti-repressive organisations across Scotland, England and Wales who have subscribed as a gesture of solidarity with issues surrounding Catalonia and its struggle for self-determination.

As a contact or subscriber, you can assist the Catalan Solidarity: Ireland Committee by distributing the news and information published within Llibertat! – Saoirse! Inform friends/supporters of our regular mail-out and how to subscribe.

Thanks to all those who have assisted the Catalan Solidarity: Ireland Committee by sending comments of support and solidarity, and to all those who have helped out in other ways, comrades, one and all, you are very much appreciated.

2. Day of the Catalan Freedom Fighter: January 26th

•12:00h Homage to the fighters fallen at cemetery, València.

•14:00h Popular lunch
videoshow: "Y llegó la hora de la venganza" (And the time for revenge has come)

"To those who have given their lives in defense of Freedom, the best homage shall be Victory!"

Organised by:
Assemblea de Joves de Benimaclet
Assemblea de Joves l'Aixada (Horta Sud)
Assemblea de Joves l'Espart (València)

 http://ajbeni.ppcc.cat
 http://ajcasinos.ppcc.cat
 http://ajespart.ppcc.cat

www.cajei.net

3. HAPPY REBEL BIRTHDAY: January 26th, 7th anniversary of Rescat

This year the Anti-Repressive organisation of support to the Catalan political prisoners Rescat, celebrates 7 years of struggle and resistance.

A series of events will be held to commemorate the occasion.

4. 7 Years without Zigor & Diego

On January 22nd it will be the 7th year since Diego’s and Zigor’s imprisonement. Terrassa Anti-Repressive Solidarity (SAT) and Rescat (Catalan political prisoners support group) have called a rally for Tuesday January 22nd with a press release that reads as follows:

SEVEN YERAS WITHOUT ZIGOR AND DIEGO!!!
KIDNAPPED BY THE SPANISH CAPITALIST STATE!!!

On January 22nd it will be 7 years since our comrades Zígor Larredonda from Terrassa and Diego Sánchez from Barcelona, were imprisoned.

Diego was arrested in a court house when he was giving voluntary statement after the media accused him and Zigor to be part of an E.T.A. commando. Likewise Zigor give voluntary statement in Madrid.

The only evidence against them was the statements that Diego and other people gave while they were being tortured by police.

On January 22nd 2001 while seeing the judge, all those arrested denied their statements given to police and denounced ill-treatments. Nevertheless, the National Audience in Madrid ordered their imprisonment.

Since that moment both Zígor and Diego were Spanish State’s prisoners and they were treated as such.

They applied upon them a series of illegal repressive measures which still last today: dispersion (holding them in prisons as far away as possible from their home and moving them constantly), F.I.E.S prison regime ( with strict control of phone calls, mail, visits, personal belongings, and separation from other prisoners), isolation (special cells and wings of punishment away from other prisoners, very small and in bad conditions, with punishments that can last days, weeks or even a month).

But even though all that repression that they are enduring, they have always stood their ground and have publicly condemned from within the walls, all these injustices. They have also carried out protests ( hunger strikes, lock up’s,...) and participated through written statements in many political and cultural events outside prison.

It’s been 7 years without Zígor and Diego, 7 years kidnapped by the capitalist Spanish state. But these 7 years have made us reaffirming ourselves in our ideas and to be convinced that now more than ever, the struggle is the only way forward even if we fall arrested or imprisoned.

From SAT and Rescat we make a call for participation at the rally organised for next January the 22nd in Terrassa. We also thank all the support and solidarity received throughout all these years and we encourage it to spread on until all political prisoners are free!!!

5. Solidarity with the victims of reprisal in Alacant & Perpignan

On December 26th, militants of the Socialist Organisation for National Liberation (OSAN) in Alacant, made different solidarity information murals which they hung in the city centre.

Precisely these murals condemned the political harassment that the youth is suffering at both extremes of the Catalan Countries: Alacant (south) and Perpignan (north), for organizing politically.

Pere and Yann were recently arrested by the French police for their activities as members of the Strike Committee which throughout December 2007, lead the students struggle in the Perpignan University.

Enric and Robe on the other side are immersing in a judicial process blamed of sabotage against several Estate Agents in Alacant.

(Endavant)

6. Catalan Prisoner Solidarity: Messages Of Solidarity

Catalan Solidarity would like to remind recipients of Llibertat! – Saoirse! to please remember all political prisoners.

As a gesture of international solidarity with those on the inside, please take the time to send a solidarity message, a few lines of support to boost morale to the following Catalan Political Prisoners currently being held by the Spanish and French States.

The following is an updated list of present Catalan Political Prisoners.

Laura Riera Valenciano: CENTRE PENITENCIARI DE DONES DE BARCELONA, Carrer Doctor Trueta, 76-98, PPCC.

Marina Bernadó Bonada: (353 922 Y), MAISON D’ARRÊT DE FLEURY MEROGIS ( femmes ), 9 Allée des Thuyas, 91700 Sainte Genevieve des Bois Cedex, PARIS, France.

Zigor Larredonda Muñoz: CENTRO PENITENCIARIO DE ALBACETE, Ctra. de Ayora, km. 72, 02006 Albacete

Dolores Lopez Resina: CENTRO PENITENCIARIO DE ÁVILA, Ctra. de Vicolozano, 05194 Brieva (Ávila)

Diego Sànchez Burria: CP Can Brians, Carretera de Martorell a Capellades, km 23, 08635 Sant Esteve Sesrovires, PPCC.

7. Trial of the 4F Case Begins

At the start of this month in Barcelona, it started the trial known as the 4F which sees 3 people accused to injure a Local policeman who is still in vegetative state.
These 3 people have been two years imprisoned awaiting trial.

This case has raised numerous complaints for the judicial procedure it has taken and for the ill-treatment to which the accused were submitted to. Beaten by the police, their statements were collected by Amnesty International and the case has been closely followed in Chile and Argentina were the arrested are originally from and personalities from these countries were expected to attend the trial amongst them Nora Cortiñas, president of the association Mothers of May Square.

Update: Two of the above prisoners have since been released, more news to follow (Indy media)

8. Declaration in Tarragona for burning the Spanish King’s picture

Earlier this month the Central Court House in Madrid requested the appearance of a militant of the Socialist Organistion for National Liberation (OSAN) to give statement in a Tarragona (South Catalonia) Court House.

He’s accused of burning a picture of the Spanish Head of State when participating in an anti-monarchy rally last October in Tarragona.

Solidarity protest where held outside the Court House.
(Endavant)

9. The Student Union of the Catalan Countries (SEPC) in Defense of an Education in Catalan
After numerous attacks by the Spanish Popular Party (PP) against the teaching in Catalan in Catalonia, the SEPC has declared that the use of Catalan as a vehicle language within the education centers throughout the Catalan Countries, it’s really the only way to achieve an own educational model, organised territorially and in Catalan.

They went on saying that “people must not fall into false debates and inexistent problematic as exposed by the PP”. “The real problem is not the index of Castilian spoken in the region, but the incapacity of the Catalan Government to engage in a national model which will be based, amongst other aspects, on the Catalan language and culture as it’s its own.

Source: sepc
Email:  sepc.comunicacio@gmail.com

10. The Spanish ex-minister of Defense openly incites the practice of torture
He ‘advised’ the armed and police forces to use torture and not to be shy in practicing State terrorism.

During a radio interview and through other media clippings, when he was asked about the ETA members who recently were arrested and brutally tortured until the extreme of having to be hospitalized, he answered that “there shouldn’t be any casualties but if there had to be, they shouldn’t be members of the State”.
According to anti-repressive organisation Socors Roig Internacional
(International Red Aid), he went on declaring in a reactionary attitude that “all the Spanish have to side with those they must” a statement which doesn’t allow room to asking any questions on dirty war, torture and murder and those who carry it out.

These public statements have come just a year after since the reports of Amnesty International and other international and national human rights bodies which point to the Spanish State as responsible for continuous torture practices with over a 1000 annual official complaints, and the absolute lack of political will to deal with the matter.

 http://www.presos.org.es/BalanceRepresivo.htm
 http://www.presos.org.es

11. Xmas Rallies of Solidarity For Prisoners

Last month hundreds of people mobilized for the Catalan political prisoners by organizing a total of 20 torch marches in different towns and cities throughout the Catalan Countries.

A the end of each march, a press release from anti-repressive organisation Rescat was read, demanding the amnesty for all political prisoners “not as a simple release, but as a step forward within a global solution” to the political conflict. “Because overcoming the conflicts which generate political prisoners, must primarily sweep away the political problems which originate confrontation”.

Members of the organisation expressed their delight as the numbers of participants in the solidarity marches during Xmas time is rising every year. These marches have been under the slogan “We Want Them Home for Xmas” as used during the 80’s and 90’s solidarity rallies then taken place in support of the prisoners of the armed group Terra Lliure.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3RWXJ0PC1E
 http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx3_fToSxoE

12. WHO WE ARE: Catalan Solidarity: Ireland Committee

Catalan Solidarity: Ireland Committee was established to provide practical support and solidarity to Catalan political prisoners, their supporters as well as information on the continuing struggle for self determination and socialism in Catalonia to challenge the media portrayal on political militants that are being fuelled by a regime, its media, its paramilitary forces, and mounting repressive laws and legislations.
In order to assist these goals we have established an online news and information service to comment on the current political situation within Catalonia, from within the prisons and on the streets.

As part of our work we aim to provide information events, pickets and solidarity protests etc to highlight various campaigns and activities and to raise awareness of the political situation in Catalonia.

We urge both Catalans living in Ireland and other non-Catalans across Ireland to write to Catalan Political Prisoners, offering them both continued solidarity and support.

We intend to issue regular news, comments & activities via email by Llibertat! – Saoirse!

To view our website:  http://www.catalansolidarity.blogspot.com/

13. SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS

Llibertat! – Saoirse!
E-news service of the Catalan Solidarity: Ireland Committee
To obtain this regular eservice Llibertat! – Saoirse!, forward “SUBSCRIBE” to the following e-mail:  catalansolidarity@hotmail.com
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