Journalist Detained Denounces Torture

Break The Chains Listserve and Jericho NYC
January 10, 2007

2 representatives of the Jericho Movement from New York City traveled to
the Basque Country (Euskal Herria) last weekend at the invitation of our
Basque comrades. We were invited as part of an international delegation to
attend a presentation to the Basque people of a “New Initiative” to move
the ceasefire forward. This meeting was banned by the Spanish State on
Saturday 1/06/07 and the organizers of the meeting called for a
demonstration that evening.

While on the way to the demonstration in Donostia on January 6 with our
international comrades, the bus was detained by the Spanish Civil Guard.
We were taken off the bus and our passports were pulled. One of our
French comrades, Parisian radio journalist Sebastién Bedouret, was
detained and subsequently arrested. He has been remanded to a prison in
Madrid, apparently based on a false confession he signed following three
days of torture. Below are some articles translated from the Basque
newspaper “Gara” and from the internet relating to Sebastién’s
imprisonment.

There is a call out on the internet from the French Basque Solidarity
movement to send telegrams and postcards to the imprisoned journalist as a
gesture of international solidarity. They explain that letters can be held
for up to two weeks, but postcards are supposed to be given to prisoners
immediately. We urge everyone to send cards to:

Sebastien Bédouret
C.P. Madrid V
Ctra. Comarcal 611, km 37,6
26770 – Soto del Real
Madrid, España

Journalist Detained on Saturday Denounces Torture

The Civil Guard detained a bus on its way to Donostia and, after making
everyone get off the bus, they said to Bedouret, currently in prison, that
they had found a Zutabe (a magazine) in his backpack. He denied that it
was his, but they detained him anyway.

Paris Radio Txalaparta journalist Sebastien Bedouret, detained last
Saturday as he traveled by bus to the demonstration called by the
pro-amnesty movement in the Anoeta Velodrome in Donostia (San Sebastián),
has denounced that he was the victim of torture during his detention.

According to today’s edition of Gara, the Civil Guard detained him after
stopping the bus on its way to Donostia. According to what the journalist
told his lawyer, they made everyone get off the bus. After collecting
everyone’s identification, they searched the bus, and when the passengers
returned to the bus, they asked Bedouret if the backpack that had been on
his seat belonged to him.

He replied that it was, and the Civil Guard made him get off the bus
again. Bedouret affirms that the civil guards told him they had found a
copy of Zutabe magazine and some CDs on top of his pack. He assured them
that they did not belong to him, but they detained him anyway and took him
to Intxaurrondo.

Bedouret has stated that he suffered torture during the three days he was
incomunicado. He says that he was insulted, threatened and beaten until he
signed a false declaration. He also denounced that he suffered from
extreme cold and was not allowed to sleep.

Bedouret appeared before a judge on Tuesday and denounced that the
declaration he made to the Civil Guard was made under torture. Judge
Ismael Moreno decreed his imprisonment under the accusation of
“collaborating with ETA” and he is currently in the Soto de Real prison in
Madrid.

In addition to the torture, he and Askatasuna have denounced that the
detention was “police entrapment.”

Protest to Demand His Freedom

The pro-amnesty movement has denounced the torture suffered by journalist
Sebas Bedouret and will protest today to the Delegation of the Spanish
Government in Bilbo at 7 p.m. under the slogan: “No to the Criminalization
of Solidarity. Freedom for Journalist Sebast!” The movement stated that
“it is lamentable that the same people who asked for the closing of the
National Audience against torture a few weeks ago remain silent about this
case.” According to the movement, “It is evident that this attitude is a
way of washing their hands.” The protest will also demand an end to
“political repression and the continuous violation of political and civil
rights.”

Radio Pays, of which the detained man is president, has maintained its
support of the journalist in a communique. In addition to pointing out his
open character and his solidarity, they have questioned the situation in
which the young man fell into the hands of Spanish Civil Guard. The
communique adds that Bedouret was in charge of information about the
political situation in Euskal Herria, as well as that of other nations
such as Corsica. They denounce the fact that Bedouret “has to pay in this
manner for his work in favor of free and pluralistic information.”

Judge Moreno Incarcerates Sebas Bedouret in Soto del Real

Bilbo

After spending three days detained and incomunicado by the Civil Guard in
Intxaurrondo, French journalist Sebas Bedouret was sent yesterday to the
Soto del Real prison in Madrid after appearing before National Audience
Judge Ismael Moreno, who accused him of “collaboration with ETA.”

Bedouret, journalist with Radio Txalaparta of Paris, was detained on
Saturday in Hernani by the Civil Guard, who intercepted the bus with the
international delegation when it was on its way to the pro-amnesty
movement event scheduled for the Anoeta Velodrome. The delegation was
composed, among others, for people from Asturias, Cerdeña, Occitania,
United States, the French State and Scotland.

Bedouret is a member of the Paris Committee in Support of Basque Political
Prisoners.

Askapena pointed out in a press release that “The internationalists who
arrived to participate in the aborted initiative of the pro-amnesty
movement in favor of the democratic basis that all processes need felt
directly the lack of democracy that Euskal Herria suffers.”

At the same time, Askapena “profoundly thanks the effort of this
solidarity delegation” and denounced “the attempt to criminalize
solidarity with Euskal Herria that this detention demonstrates.”

After hearing the decision of Ismael Moreno to incarcerate Sebas Bedouret,
the pro-amnesty movement and Askapena called for a mobilization. The two
organizations will bring the demand for Bedouret’s freedom to the doors of
the Spanish government delegation in Bilbo this Thursday at 7 p.m.

There is a call out on the internet from the French Basque Solidarity
movement to send telegrams and postcards to the imprisoned journalist:

Sebastien Bédouret
C.P. Madrid V
Ctra. Comarcal 611, km 37,6
26770 – Soto del Real
Madrid, España

This action will let the Spanish government know that Sebastien has
international support.