Automatically translated from Basque, translation may contain errors. More information here. Elhuyarren itzultzaile automatikoaren logoa

"More and more serious things have to be done to get people out into the street."

  • Beta Forn (Barcelona, 1998) is the youngest daughter of Catalan deputy Joaquim Forn, imprisoned on 2 November in Estremera prison (Barcelona, Spain). It has just completed the second course of nursing studies and is immersed in the fight against repression experienced by independence representatives in Catalonia.
"Dagoeneko nabaritzen dugu lehen egunetako euforia desagertu dela". (Arg.: Jordi Borrás)"Dagoeneko nabaritzen dugu lehen egunetako euforia desagertu dela". (Arg.: Jordi Borrás)

It's been seven months since your father was locked up. How are you?
I've had a lot of ups and downs, the emotional imbalance has not stopped. I've spent a hard month, but I'm willing to keep fighting. We are forced to be strong…

What has been the hardest thing in these months?
I am exhausted by uncertainty. But I confess that it has helped me understand that the solution is not up to us. The goal now is for my family to understand it too, because it's not clear. Whenever there was any movement, I was hopeful at first, but for the benefit of my health, I've already lost it. They will be released as they were locked up, because this is not an ordinary judicial procedure. I'd rather think it's going to go for a long time. It's the only way to protect us.

The children of other political prisoners have been key in this
path… At first
we were forced [laughs]. We did not believe that the relationship that we had united in the future would emerge. Friends always find it hard to understand, but for me they have been decisive in these seven months. Basically, we share the injustice we live in and complicity is total.

Not only the protection, but also the showcase. Do you have a project in your hands?
From the outset we have had the need to promote projects to change the context and among the ideas we launched we have contacted one. Without being independentists, we made a video with the list of famous Spaniards who could be against the violation of human rights.

What do you do now?
We are not going to do that. Three out of every hundred people we call said yes. Among those who rejected the offer, the reason for the majority was fear: they denounced the context, they felt it a lot, but they ran the risk of losing their jobs.

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Did you expect that answer?
No, it was very disappointing. We collected from the list left-wing characters who participate in other demands, but with the injustice that Catalonia is experiencing, they have not been able to move any files. How is that possible? Surely if they were to get wet, Spain would not behave like it now…

Compare nursing studies with visits to Estremera prison.
I have also made an adaptation process. At first, the need to see my father was disproportionate. Now I try to get the balance: I'm just going to family visor visits a month, avoiding visits across the glass. They were too hard. The cold. In a way, I still can't believe that my father is locked in between those walls. You're so close and so far away at once...

What was the response he received from the officials?If detention is
a punishment in itself, families suffer a double punishment for the nature of the visits. The hardest thing at first was that conversations through the glass cut the micro suddenly without warning. It was so cruel and so hard to have to say goodbye!

Spanish justice has always used dispersion. When your father is in pre-trial detention, what do you think of being in Madrid? Dispersion
can only be understood as a punishment, even more so in pre-trial detention. Rights should be equal for all, it is incomprehensible that they should go to Madrid.

In Spain falls Mariano Rajoy and is now president Pedro Sánchez. How will the change affect Catalonia? At
the moment I have not detected any change, at least when he spoke of prisoners, and it is clear that Sánchez has been responsible for the repression. However, the President has come to the Presidency through a motion of censure, thanks to the support of several parties. It is therefore obliged to make some gesture and, therefore, without making too many illusions, hope is there. In any case, although the transfer to Catalan prisons is the law’s right, my struggle and challenge is to liberate myself.

Meanwhile, Catalonia is still mobilized. Are you afraid that society can normalize the context of exception?
Yes, of course. We already noticed the disappearance of the euphoria of the first few days. It seems that the things that have to happen for people to go out into the street are becoming more and more serious. Especially among our seniors. That's very hard. We cannot forget that people are being detained for writing songs! I want to think that it is normal and that the descent of the mobilization serves to take forces to maintain the struggle...”.

The political prisoners in Catalonia are paying for the defence of ideals in a drastic manner. Has it been worth it?
Of course. Otherwise we would not have the strength we have. They are imprisoned, but they know that the road they have travelled is going to have a destination. I have no hope in Spain, but by becoming international, we will meet our challenge!

Familiaren sostengu


“Haserre nago, indartsu, baina oso haserre. Injustiziek min egiten didate. Betidanik izan naiz borrokalaria, baina, azaroaren 2az geroztik, Espainiako justiziak nire aita giltzapetuz gainjarri zidan testuinguruaren aurrean, borrokarako indarra atera dut lur azpitik. Nire buruari aitortu diot familia babesteko ardura eta, hogei urte bete berri, egun batetik bestera ikasi dut arazoei garrantzia kentzen”.


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