The popular initiative in the 47ak municipality has presented a manifesto denouncing the macro-judgment of Summary 11/13. The manifesto was supported by personalities from different areas: Bernardo Atxaga, Itziar Aizpurua, Juan José Ibarretxe, Mikel San José, Garazi Murua, Saioa Iraola, Julio Villanueva, Hassana Aalia, Amelia Barquin, Mixel Berhokoirigoin, Alfredo Remires, Oihana Premio o Inaga. Over 2,000 citizens have acceded in this way.

The challenge of all

The 47 defendants face a 601 year prison petition for attempted homicide. The Manifesto is critical of the judgment: "This trial wants to condemn 47 Basque citizens and their activities, and as before, we denounce that it is out of place, out of time and out of the desire for peace and justice of Basque society."

The manifesto says that Basque society wants to "advance" in the construction of a "sustainable" future. To do so, it would be an essential task to "close wounds from the past and untie knots", and the trial goes against the judicial one. "This is a people looking at the solution, a people moving forward, and we are not prepared to accept any situation that would lead us backwards," he added.

The signatories argue that the construction of the future should be based on "the human rights of individuals, collective rights, solidarity, empathy and coexistence". In this regard, they have denounced the trial and called to participate in the demonstration that took place on 14 September. "We turn this judgment that wants to lead us to the past into a door for the future. Go down the road. Let's free the future, it's the challenge of everyone."

The trial, after the summer

The trial will begin on 16 September at the National Hearing and is scheduled to last for three months. Among the defendants are members of the Etxerat, Jaiki Hadi and Herrira organizations, as well as prisoners’ lawyers and members of the EPPK mediation group.