ETA prisoners stage protest for terrorist hunger striker 06/02/2007 00:00

6 February 2007

MADRID — ETA prisoners launched a protest from behind bars on Tuesday against the treatment of hunger striker Iñaki de Juana Chaos.

The Collective of Basque Prisoners (EPPK), held in 81 prisons in Spain and France, will carry on their protest until 25 February, according to reports in the Basque newspaper Gara.

They are to fast in support of De Juana Chaos, who started a hunger strike in protest at his conviction for writing threatening letters to prison governors.

De Juana Chaos, who served 18 years for murdering 25 people in a series of terrorist attacks, was condemned to a further 12 years last year.

His picture appeared on Monday in the British daily The Times alongside an interview he granted the newspaper in which he called for the resumption of the peace process.

But De Juana Chaos failed to say he was sorry for any of his murders.

The ETA prisoners said in a statement released through the pro-separatist newspaper Gara, the self-determination and an amnesty for ETA prisoners constituted a 'pillar' which could resolve the conflict between Spain and Basque separatists.

But they claimed the Spanish, French, and Basque authorities had 'blocked this process by failing to recognise the Basque Country.

The prisoners are to refuse to leave their cells, to launch a "week of propaganda" and to stage a 'communication strike'.

Finally, they will fast in support of De Juana Chaos.

Thirty-two ETA prisoners are held in French jails and 49 in Spanish prisons.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news