Broad support for indicted councillors.

22 mayors and councillors will be tried in the near future (the date is still unknown) by the Spanish National Court for their work in Udalbiltza, the Basque elected representatives national institution. It was created in 1998 with the objective of the national building of the Basque Country overcoming partition.
The Spanish authorities criminalised their institutional and democratic work and accused them of terrorism.

At a press conference last week dozens of councillors announced they have collected 2,000 signatures of other councillors from different political parties in favour of the Basques’ right to organise their own institutions and against the trial. These signatures will be sent to the United Nations.

Another political trial it’s about to start. On the 14th of December 10 members of the editorial team of Egunkaria will face trial in Madrid’s Spanish National Court. Egunkaria was closed down by the Spanish authorities in 2003 and it was the only Basque language newspaper in the world. The indicted are accused of terrorism and face sentences up to 17 years in jail.