- He has attended today, 14 February, the Criminal Chamber of the National Court with his lawyer Iñigo Iruin. In 1999 he was arrested and tortured in the framework of macro-trial 18/98, and today he has closed the political trial, sentenced to six months for having two false cards in Switzerland, but he will not have to go to jail. When he takes the floor, he denounces torture and declares the closure of political persecution against it. From now on, it will be able to be released without an extradition and arrest warrant, which will open up the possibility of her daughter also obtaining papers. He has told ARGIA that his next purpose is “to keep fighting until everyone is free and free like me and to bring the complaint against torture to every possible place”, just released from the court.
“We have come to taste, it has been five minutes, but I have had the opportunity to say why I was there, because at first the complaints filed against me have been rejected and because it is possible to close political persecution, repression,” explains Txapartegi.
The only question the judge asks him is whether he accepts the six-month conviction for false cards. “I answered that I accept the agreement reached by my lawyer to close this cycle of harassment and repression. But before my conviction was based on forced self-inflictions under torture, so I fled to Switzerland not to be tortured again and had to use false papers to protect myself and my daughter.”
After being arrested and tortured in 1999 under macro-summary 18/98, he went to Switzerland in 2007 to escape the prison sentence. Following the many extraditions and arrest warrants of the Spanish States since then, the only condemnation he has received today is the holding of two false cards in Switzerland, which will not have to go to jail. “We have put an end to the political trial begun in 1999,” Txapartegi celebrated. His family and friends have been inside the courtroom and given him a final applause.
“Until everyone is free and free”
“Unfortunately, my daughter still cannot walk the world without papers. But now we can reassure the movements between Switzerland and the Basque Country. So far, even if we were not in prison, we could not leave Switzerland. Today we have put an end to this political kidnapping.” Txapartegi is pleased that today’s achievement can facilitate the path for her daughter to achieve Swiss citizenship.
He has pointed out that his current objective is “to continue fighting until everyone is free and free like me and to bring the complaint against torture to all possible locations, until the torture apparatus has disappeared and the collective political recognition of torture has been achieved. The fact that mine is possible reaffirms the need to keep fighting to get everyone else married.”
This afternoon will take place in Bergara in the screening of the film Bi arnasa
“In pain and victory,” he points out that both have felt surrounded by family and friends, and they will celebrate today together when they come home.
At 19:00 hours will take place at the Bergara Seminary in the screening of the film "Bi arnasa". In the film showing the relationship between prisoner Iratxe Sorzabal and his mother, Nekane Txapartegi denounces his torture. After the screening of the film, the producer Kima Arzuaga and Nekane Txapartegi dialogue with them.
Ramón Sola has collected in Naiz medium the excellent evolution of the cause of Nekane Txapartegi Snow in the courts. You can read it here.
Here you can read the ARGIA interview in May 2022, after 15 years of exile, when he came home: "I'm not going to save or close."