Juan José Rego Vidal began a hunger and thirst strike on 10th of September; although he has already left it, the pro-amnesty movement and Basque people have dennounced his shameful situation, which shows the cruel reality of all the Basque political prisoners.

Rego is from Intxaurrondo (a neighbourhood of Donostia), he’s 69 and suffers many illnesses. He was arrested on 9th of August of 1995, accused of ‘colaboration with ETA’. Now, after 12 years, he’s still in Mansillas de las Mulas (in León). Recently, the pro-amnesty movement has been campaigning for the immediate liberation of the prisoners who have already served their sentences and those who are seriously ill. Rego is one of the fourteen Basque seriously-ill prisoners still kidnapped in Spanish jails:

1. HEALTH SITUATION: He has a brain-vascular illness (since 1988), diabetes Mellitus and hypertension (since 1993). As consequence of these illnesses, he also has a diabetic retinopathy, he’s developing cataracts and seriously losing vision of both eyes. Neurosensory hypoacusia. Prostatic hypertrophy. Vitamin B-12 deficiency. On November of 2005, he suffered a thrombosis attack so he has partially lost vision and movement-deficiency in his left leg. For 6 months he suffered memory-loss, dizziness and nose bleed. His case is described as “very serious” by the doctors; in fact, any 69-years-old person who had those illnesses, even being out of prison, would need continuous care and ongoing.

2. JURIDICAL SITUATION: Conviction for 20 years. On 18th January of 2004 he asked to the DGIP (General Direction of Penitenciary Institutions) his transfer to a prison in the Basque Country; it was denied. In May, he asked again to the Central JVP (Penitentiary Surveillance Court); denied. On the 1st of December of 2005, he requested the interruption of his conviction to de 2nd Room of Penal Issues of the National Audience; on the 13rd of February of 2006 the 2nd Room decides not to accept his request. On the 1st of December of 2006 requested the conditional release to the Central JVP of the National Audience because of serious and incurable-illness (92nd article of Spanish Penal Code). On 14th of March of 2007: his health-situatuion got worse, so he requested a medical consultation in Hospital Donostia. 30th of March: his conditional release is denied. 23rd of May: his medical consultation is denied. 31st of July: the Central JVP of the National Audience accepts his medical-consultation in the Ophthalmology service of Hospital Donostia.

BEGGINING OF HUNGER AND THIRST STRIKE

On the 11th of September, Juanjo Rego was being transfered to Hospital Donostia with authorization, but the day before he was told the transfer had been cancelled: he was going to be transfered definitely to a prison in the Basque Country, but he had to wait ten days more.

Then, as he told his family, his “patience was over”, and he decided to stop taking his medicines and began a hunger and thirst strike. However, yesterday (11th of September), at night, he decided to interrupt his strike because his demands were finally accepted: he’s being transfered to a prison in the Basque Country as immediate as possible.

Although Rego’s struggle has partially got its objective (partially because he should be free, not in prison) and ended, it has shown the real situation of the Basque political prisoners, especially the seriously-ill ones’. What credibility could have the Spanish “democracy” when they don’t accept even their own law, their own rules?

Source: ASKATASUNA

IMMEDIATE FREEDOM FOR PRISONERS WHO HAVE ALREADY SERVED THEIR SENTENCES AND THOSE WHO ARE SERIOUSLY ILL!!