Journalism is not a crime
- Two Ertzainas have denounced a journalist from Argia for the information and video published in connection with an identification for a violation of linguistic rights that occurred in the Basque Country. Lander Arbelaitz is due to appear at the National Hearing on 20 March before the judge. For that day we have called for a concentration and we also call for the suspension of the unfair trial. You can join the address argiak100urte@argia.eus
The video was seen thousands of times and it is very well reflected in what happened. The Observatory on Linguistic Rights, Behatokia, filed a complaint against the Catalan police. The Ertzaintza apologized for the violation of linguistic rights in the family environment. It has subsequently been known that the Ertzaintza has sanctioned with the Moorish Law the person who violated his rights. In addition, the Ertzaines of the numbers 22125 and 23044 have filed a complaint of insults and slander against an ARGIA journalist, who recorded and disseminated the time at a police station at the Ertzaintza.
This denunciation is an attack on information, so our right to be informed by all citizens is at stake. This is not the first time. They don't want witnesses. In recent years, different policemen face anyone who searches the street, identifying, making recordings difficult and placing fear on them. These ertzainas have been seen in a video that has been broadcast on much of the social media and that involves revenge to file a criminal complaint. Everything that happened, for the interpretation of the whole world, has been reflected in the video.
This is the attitude that has been prevailing in Europe in recent years: complaints are being lodged against journalists publishing uncomfortable information, in order to intimidate: According to the audios of Cabacas, Iñaki Soto and Iñaki Iriondo were summoned to court for informing the inmates of Ahotsa who went to testify of the uprising of terrorism, Ignacio Educativa and another journalist of eldiario.es have had a trial for the audios of Cifuentes... this action has not been unusual.
In Bilbao, if anyone had recorded Arkaitz Zarraga’s argument that he saw himself in a similar fact, do we have to understand that that would also lead him to the court?
This is not the first attack on ARGIA, nor on this journalist. We will continue to report with our media on what is happening on the street. Journalism is not a crime. They're not going to scare us. This project is supported by a strong community and thanks to that economic and social support we will continue to do independent journalism.
We therefore call for the suspension of the unfair trial against Lander Arbelaitz and invite you to adhere to this request.
In addition, on March 20, ARGIA convenes a rally before the Donostia Court at 11:30 a.m. We also ask you to join the call. Lander Arbelaitz will have to declare at 11:50 hours.
Give us your support by sending your name and surname to argiak100urte@argia.eus.
A Western multinational exploits the natural wealth of a territory considered “third world” on a massive scale. Money for the company, pollution for residents and various problems. How many times have we heard this story? On this occasion, however, 65 journalists and... [+]
In 2010, WikiLeaks, with the collaboration of mass media, published one of the widest leaks in the history of "secret" documents. Over 700,000 files of the U.S. intelligence services, which evidenced the opaque and cruel diplomatic and military actions of many governments and... [+]