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They denounce the death of prisoner Igor González in the mobilizations of Bilbao and Baiona
  • The demonstrations took place this Sunday in Bilbao and Baiona to denounce the death of the Basque political prisoner Igor González Sola, following the appeal of Sare and Bakegileen. Both have stressed the need for a different prison policy.
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Manifestazioa Eliptika plazatik abiatzen. Argazkia: Sare

In Bilbao, the demonstration took place at noon, starting from the plaza de la Elíptica in three long rows, just as it is taking place at the time of the coronavirus. Representatives of the network, political parties and trade unions, among others, have come to the fore. Before leaving, representatives of Sare have said that the death of Igor González is something that should never have happened, which shows that the current prison policy must be put to an end.

Leaders from the Abertzale left, such as Maialen Iriarte, EH Bildu, and Arkaitz Rodríguez, from Sortu, among others, participated in the march. Representatives of the LAB, ELA and ESK trade unions have also attended.

The demonstration has travelled the Arenal Bridge, from where it has accessed the Casco Viejo and ended in Plaza Nueva. “Prisoners on the street, total amnesty”, “Broken prisons” and “We have reminded you” have been some of the screams that have been made during the demonstration. At the end of the demonstration, representatives of the Network recalled that there is a great deal of agreement in the Basque institutions on the penitentiary policy that should enter into force, for which they asked the institutions for a further step in their commitment to ending the current penitentiary policy.

In particular, Sare has called for the following measures to be complied with: one, the end of the policy of removal and transfer to Basque prisons of prisoners who so request; two, the freedom of prisoners with serious illnesses to receive care outside the prison walls; and three, the progression of grades, as with the rest of the prisoners.

At the concentration of Baiona Etxegarai

Also in Baiona, at noon, several hundred people have concentrated before the Consulate of Spain, including Jean René Etxegarai, President of the Single Commonwealth of Iparralde and Mayor of Baiona. The delegate of Bake Bidea, Anais Funosas, has shown his anger over this new death: “What does the Government expect to contribute to the peace process?” He has also announced that a "mass mobilization" will take place in the Basque Country on 19 September.

The Basque Government has issued a statement this weekend in which it expresses its condolences to the relatives and relatives of Igor González. Here the note, in its entirety: “Even if it sounds like a suicide, the Basque Government hopes that the circumstances of that death will be investigated with all guarantees. Such events should promote the reflection of all actors involved in the reality of prisoners. It is also necessary to carry out an operational reflection on the humanization of more prison policies and their clearer adaptation to the current reality of Basque society and to the new challenges”.

This Monday, moreover, Sare has called a concentration in the Plaza de la Merindad de Pamplona/Iruña, at 20:00 hours.

Ahotsa.infoko In this video you can see the mobilization of Bilbao.