Recording is not a crime
- In recent years, the possibilities offered by new technologies have increased the recording and penetration of rights violations and violent acts committed by the police. The images with the cameras of mobile phones and the testimonies of certain injustices that have previously been kept hidden are collected through social networks. Sometimes they are reported by anonymous citizens, and sometimes by popular movements and popular media.
In short, we have become a source of information for citizens in the Basque Country, as in many other parts of the world. But the police and political authorities do not want anyone to see or judge the public actions of these public officials. In recent years we have experienced an attack on the right to information and control through a series of declarations, legal reforms and police violence, fines and threats.
The consequences of this censorship are evident, especially since the entry into force of the Gag Law on July 1, 2015. Since then, we are more afraid of being recorded by the citizens, and on the contrary, the police operate with more impunity. Many citizens and journalists have been fined or prosecuted for exercising their rights. We’ve heard of many of these cases, but how many times have we given up the right to record forced by the police threat? In such cases there is no fine or trial, but the damage is not minor. Because there are eleven excesses left in the shadows by not recording. This repression is invisible to us and promotes self-censorship.
Series of videos in collaboration
Faced with this situation, the popular media Voice, Light, Find, Hala Video and Ekinklik, together with the Eleak/Libre movement, have decided to launch a small collaborative campaign. With the slogan “Recording is not a crime”, we will claim the right to information through a series of four videos. Starting on February 27th, we will broadcast a video every Monday, in our media and social networks.
In each of these videos we will approach the topic from a different vertex: In the first, we will focus on the subject; we will emphasize that it is the right of all citizens, a week later, above corrupt convictions and interested distorted information, we will remember that the Gag Law does not prohibit the recording of the police; in the third, we will explain the importance and value of the recording; in the fourth and last, we will propose some recommendations to put into practice what is our right.
Filming is not a crime, let’s practice our rights.
Delacroix shows the chart La Liberté guidant le peuple (Freedom, guide for the people) at the entrance of human rights, in the Basque Wikipedia. The romantic image of the painter is well provided, I believe that human rights are intimately linked to freedom. I believe, however,... [+]
Irati Egaña leioarrak 19 urte ditu eta itsua da. Psikologia karreran azterketa bat egokitzeko eskatu eta irakasleak esan dio ezin duela azterketa ONCEra bidali egokitzeko, hori egitea delitua dela. “Zur eta lur geratu nintzen”, kontatu digu. Ez da ikasle gisa... [+]
