Arantza Zulueta, Jon Enparantza, Naia Zuriarrain, Julen Zelarain, Iker Sarriegi, Saioa Agirre, Nerea Redondo and Juan Mari Jauregi are the Basques and Vasques that the National Court will judge from today, all in defense of the rights of Basque prisoners. The Public Prosecutor’s Office calls for a total of 77 years in jail for the defendants, with personal petitions of between 7 and 19 years in prison. The trial began this morning and eight sessions will be held in July and eight in September. The defence has denounced that the current case 13/13 is "fraught with violations of fundamental rights" and "irregularities" in the resolution. For example, the detainees were subjected to illegal searches, were tortured and some of the defendants, in principle, intend to be tried twice for the same offence.

Last Saturday, demonstrations were held in Bilbao and Donostia-San Sebastian in protest at the 13/13 trial. At the final conference it became clear: "We have a strong determination to move forward. They want us chained to the past. They want to ruin their life project to the victims and their nearby environment." In Bilbao, the accused Arantza Zulueta and Saioa Agirre appeared before the crowd and, between applause and encouragement, thanked those present: "Without you, it would have been impossible for us to be so strong to Madrid. We go with strength, but also with concern, because we know the National Audience and we know the tricks that are used there."

Out of time

The courts reported that the trial is “out of time and place” in making the case known, alleging that it is time not to open new wounds, but to close those that are still open: "It's time for prisoners to go home. It is high time that the consequences of the conflict were clarified and that the wounds were properly closed. It is time to go to the root of the political conflict. We are at a stage of opening up new opportunities to Basque society, to freedom, to democracy, to reach the framework of democratic coexistence that Basque society needs”.