51 bodybuilders sign a manifesto against the "censorship" that the government wants to impose on cultural performances in the prisons of the Basque Country

Fermin Muguruzak iazko azaroan Martutenetxeko espetxean eman zuen emanaldiaren eguneko argazkia. @PatxiValen

Commitment to respect the objective of treatment and the dignity and feelings of the victims of crimes in the social and cultural leisure activities of the Basque prisons. This is the name of the document that bodybuilders must sign in order to be able to perform in the prisons of the Basque Country. The full document reads as follows:

"I declare under oath that the entity that I represent and all the members that participate in the activity indicated above are committed to:

1.- That the practice and its contents will be in favor of the process of social integration of persons deprived of their liberty and the appropriate prosocial behavior that is the object of the treatment in prison. In this sense, statements that may lead to the protection, justification and elevation of values and attitudes that are contrary to human rights, the legal system and the psychosocial treatment in prisons will be avoided in substance and form.

2.- Likewise, the activity and its contents may not in any way offend or harm the dignity and feelings of the victims of any crime, regardless of the protected legal property.

In this sense, any expression of support for the commission of crimes or anti-legal conduct, as well as against the action of justice, or showing contempt or hatred towards groups such as LGBTI+ groups, women, victims of terrorism, persons with disabilities, foreigners or victims of other violence, will be avoided.

And for the record, where appropriate, with express permission to make this commitment public, I sign here:"

The signatories of the manifesto declare that they will not sign the document, arguing that they do not want "a culture that censors all criticism" about states, companies, prisons, etc. In addition, they explain that it is "painful" to "use the historical oppression of some collectives" for the image cleansing of the prison, which they consider "an instrument of oppression".

With this document, the Basque Government declares in the manifesto that the creators seek to "self-censor" by granting the prison "arbitrarily" the right to decide what is or is not acceptable. In addition, they denounce in depth that the Basque Government is using "the same techniques as the Inquisition and the Franco regime", despite the use of "more modern words".

In their message to the media, the signatories warn that: "The Basque Government has put us in a bad position: whether we sign their document or not we will enter, and if no one enters, people who are imprisoned will be left without cultural action. There are different attitudes towards this inside and outside and we absolutely do not want to fuel any quarrels or bad attitudes between these different attitudes. We all agree, however, on the opposition to the document that has been drawn up by the Basque Government, so let us oppose it, as everyone sees it best, this is a way, but there may be more ways. Everyone will be welcome. In this sense, we encourage you to report from the cultural world area by area and town by town to the Basque Government. Finally, we would like to recall that so far several groups and individuals have been denied access to the prison for cultural performances without giving any reason, we would like to take advantage of these lines to denounce this as well."

Groups and individuals from all walks of Basque culture sign the manifesto

Among the signatories we can find individuals who have excelled in all areas of Basque culture: bertsolarismo, theatre, basque language, music and literature, among others. Here is the full list of those who have signed the document so far:

by Xebastian Lizaso Iraola	The Bertsolarismo
Much in Etxebarrieta Lasheras	The Ballerina
Pictures of Fermin Muguruza	The music of
By Unai López de Armentia	The Theatre of the Year
Bishop of Barandiaran Arteaga	The literature of
by Javier Barandiaran Melero	The Theatre of the Year
The Collective Metrobox	The Theatre of the Year
Manex Agirre of Arriolaba	The Bertsolarismo
By Iosu Ordoñez Fernández	Live in freedom
Location of Uxue Urlanda	The Basque language
Jungle in Iguara	The Bertsolarismo
by Erika Lagoma Pombar	The Bertsolarismo
The Back of Aitor	The Bertsolarismo
Profile of Eneko Abasolo	The Bertsolarismo
Pictures of Oier Azkaga Grajales	The Bertsolarismo
Information about Unai Fuentes Zugaza-Artaza	The Bertsolarismo
Things to do in Etxahun Lekue	The Bertsolarismo
Koldo Gezuraga Seijido	The Bertsolarismo
by Odei Barroso Gomila	The music of
Bingen Mendizabal Alvarez de Arkaia	The music of
By Ander Solozabal Kortabarria	The music of
by Jon Basaguren	The music of
Pictures of Txerra Bolinaga	The music of
Aitor valcarlos LA TXAMA	The music of
by Xabier Lasa	The Bertsolarismo
By Joseba Ballez	The music of
Iñaki Ortiz of Villalba Paiueta	The music of
By Josu Zabala	The music of
Pictures of Iban Zaldua	The literature of
The Pearl	The music of
The zero	The music of
Iñaki URBIZU AZACET	The music of
Pictures of Víctimas Club	The music of
Location of Uxue Apaolaza	The literature of
By Aner Peritz Manterola	The Bertsolarismo
by Ramon Agirre	In the cinema
Txema Ramirez from the Pool	The journalism
Edu Zelaieta Anta	Literature, Professor at the UPV
Punishment by Garro Perez	Literature, the cinema
by Arkaitz Sagasti	The music of
by Aritz Landeta Terceño	The music of
Location of Añube	The music of
Location of Xabat Ituarte	The music of
by Josu Aranburu	The music of
Urki gojenola ibarloza	The music of
Breixo by Ferbandez	The music of
Pictures of Garazi Arrula Ruiz	The literature of
Land in Aranburu	The Circus Artist
Kepa in Arakistai	The music of
By Itziar Moreno	Illustration and storytelling
By Alexander Idoeta Anakabe	The Bertsolarismo
BY LEE KORE	The music of
by Aitor Atxa	The music of
Pictures of Broken Legacy	The music of
Pictures of Aissa Intxausti	The Bertsolarismo

The collection of signatures is open through this address.

Information about Sarri

In fact, one of these signatories is the well-known artist Fermin Muguruza: He performed at the Martutene prison in November last year, where he sang the song Sarri Sarri, 39 years after the escape of Iñaki Pikaba 'Piti' and Joseba Sarrionandia, members of ETA, from the same prison.

After this performance, the Department of Justice of the Basque Government promised to change the conditions to be able to organize cultural performances in prisons. The section headed by the socialist María Jesús San José pointed out that from now on every cultural performance must show a "commitment to respect values", a condition that, according to them, the song Sarri Sarri does not meet. Muguruza said in his message on Instagram that he had made the decision "with great surprise and disappointment."