King Philip II ordered the construction of the City of Pamplona in the sixteenth century. It looked like a five-pointed star. Each tip made it possible to control possible aggressions in all directions. The objective of the military building is to punish the city, to control the population, to reduce its attachment to Juan de Albret.
The Sare citizens' network has convened a demonstration for the next 3 July in Bilbao.
The policy of dispersion launched in the year one thousand nine hundred and eighty-eight aimed to punish, control and humiliate prisoners. Thirty-five prisoners have died in prison, the last one, Igor González. Held in distant fortifications, their relatives were subjected to an added punishment: travelling many kilometres on the road, physical and mental fatigue, waste and death. Nativity Junco is, to date, the last of the long list of sixteen titles.
To deny the rights that the law used, they made a cruel interpretation of the law to set in motion and channel an inhumane penitentiary policy.
After the thirty-six coup d’état, the Francoist forces made the most brutal use of the City of Pamplona, shooting a multitude of citizens at the “Distress Gate”.
"We have not yet succeeded in enforcing the right of prisoners to serve their sentences in the vicinity of their usual home. We want to leave behind the times when the law was used to infringe rights"
The dispersal of prisoners is changing. We've needed over three decades. The new situation has been made possible by the efforts of many people: Basque citizens, political parties, trade unions, many social actors, institutions and, of course, the Group of Basque Political Prisoners and the efforts of many victims.
However, we have not yet managed to ensure that the right of prisoners to serve their sentences is respected in the vicinity of their habitual residence. We want to leave behind the times when the law was used to infringe rights. To leave behind because we want to move forward, so that we can move forward, how far? To the point of having inmates at home. First, those over 70 years of age, those sanctioned by the legislation of exception (7/2003 and 7/2014), those suffering from diseases… we want to put them all on their way home.
In 1808, French General D´Armagnac succeeded in breaking the defense of the Citadel. The soldiers under his command approached with the pretext of playing with snowflakes to surprise the guardians of the Citadel. They knew how to take advantage of the snow.
We must use the snow to break the strength of prison policy. Because current political conditions may change tomorrow. Over the years the use of the Citadel has changed, has changed. It has gone from being a place of repression, domination and death to a privileged place to enjoy cultural acts.
If you want to walk the path of the penitentiary policy of humanity and coexistence from the policies of fortresses and walls, if you want to put the prisoners on the way home, you are invited to the demonstration on July 3.