Altsasu incident (2016)

The Altsasu incident is a judicial case against 8 youths from Altsasu, a small town of Navarre, Spain, for their involvement in a fight taking place on 15 October 2016 at a bar in which two off-duty Civil Guard officers stationed in the town and their girlfriends sustained injuries. One of the officers was knocked down, with the other victims reported to have suffered "psychological trauma".[1][2] The lawsuit was initially conducted by the judge of the Spanish special court Audiencia Nacional Carmen Lamela. As of March 2018, Concepción Espejel was appointed as magistrate ahead of the trial held in late April.[3][4]

Support from Navarre to the accused opposite the Audiencia Nacional (Madrid)

The case was controversial because the public prosecutor claimed it was a "terrorist attack" ranging from 12 to 62 year sentences.[5] However, the National Court dismissed it and charged them with sentences ranging from 2 to 13 years. The state prosecutor appealed the sentence in June 2018, insisting on the existence of 'terrorism'.

Evolution of events

The incident immediately attracted a rush of attention from the Spanish media. The identified aggressors reported themselves to the regional police and the jurisdictional tribunal in Pamplona. They were subsequently released with charges. However, four days later ETA's victims' association COVITE filed a report in the National Court against the defendants for alleged hate and terrorism offences, denouncing also Twitter accounts, as well as the local movement Ospa and the campaign Alde hemendik! (Basque for "get out of here").[6][lower-alpha 1] The National Court demanded soon on the transfer of the case from its jurisdictional tribunal in over to the special court with a sit in Madrid, a request confirmed by the Supreme Court of Spain, despite the regional tribunal's dismissal of terrorism charges.[7]

According to the judge, the two Spanish policemen were wearing plain clothes. In the local Altsasu festival, many youngsters approached them in the bar, asking them to leave the place. The policemen asked to leave them alone but "later on, other 25 people approached them, with 15 or 20 insulting and beating them until the patrols arrived". Iñaki Abad, one of the convicted youths, recorded a mobile video footage showing the Civil Guard officer "brutally battered on the ground", as claimed by the accusation, walking in a clean, white shirt moments after the events; he then walks over Abad and smacks his phone away, but eventually shakes hands and talks with one of the defendants. The footage, which disputes the accusation's case, was initially rejected as evidence by the special tribunal, but was later accepted following its public diffusion.[8]

The 8 youths accused (Ohian Arnanz Ziordia, Jokin Unamuno Goikoetxea, Jon Ander Cob Amilibia, Julen Goikoetxea Larraza, Adur Ramirez de Alda Pozueta, Aratz Urrizola Ortigosa, Iñaki Abad Olea and Ainara Urkijo Goikoetxea) were charged with a string of offences including ‘terrorism’, 3 of them were remanded and held under special regime, with the others being released on bail. They faced sentences of 62 years imprisonment one of them, 50 years the rest, except for one liable to 12.[9] The youths are imprisoned based on the article 573 of the Penal Code passed in 2015 by Mariano Rajoy's Spanish Conservatives aimed at cracking down on Jihadism, as reported by the defence.[10]

On February 2018, the defence recused the new judge appointed to the case, Concepción Espejel, for her marriage to a Civil Guard colonel and for holding the Order of Merit of the Civil Guard awarded by the Interior Ministry; the petition was declined for being 'untimely'.[11] The hearings took place from 16 to 27 April. On 1 June 2018, the sentence was announced, with the National Court eventually dismissing the terrorism charges and condemning them with injuring and attacking an agent of the authority, aggravated with abuse of superiority, discrimination and public disorders and threats. One of them was sentenced to 2 years of prison, other three with 9 years, another two with 12 years and the remaining two with 13 years.[12] The families, besides labelling the sentence a 'barbarity' and a 'revenge', announced they would appeal it.[13] Four days on, the Civil Guard deployed in Altsasu, arresting four defendants and sending them to prison on "flight risk" grounds.[14] On 14 June 2018, the state prosecutor appealed the sentence, arguing again that "there was terrorism" involved.[15] Six days later, Iñaki Abad's sentence was reduced by 3 years, "due to an error", and the verdict was modified, accepting this time the initial evidence given by María José, N.C., a victim of the aggression, ruling out Iñaki Abad among the aggressors.[16]

Statements heard during proceedings

Demonstration at Pamplona in support of the defendants (April 2018)

The trial became the centre of media attention for the high sentences requested and the circumstances surrounding the trial, including certain statements:

"What we are seeing in the 21st century Spain is people asking others whose job they do not like to quit the town. It is xenophobia, racism, full-blown fascism, since that is what the supremacist Basque nationalists stand for, imbued as they are with outmoded nationalism". José Perals, National Court's prosecutor[17]

Early support in Altsasu to the defendants, denouncing their judicial treatment


Event in solidarity with the defendants at Vitoria-Gasteiz

"We consider that if no terrorism is considered in cases like this, we would be going back 20 years, when ETA's youth organizations Segi, Jarrai and Haika roamed unrestrained across the towns of the Basque Country and Navarre, and some said that it was nothing but the things of the petrol, kale borroka boys". José Perals, National Court's prosecutor[17]

"[The sentence is] an absolute contempt of the principle of justice, it is completely disproportionate; it is about revenge, with the clear aim of generating pain". Parents of the defendants[18]

Reactions

Criticism of the attack

The public prosecutor’s and the judge’s heavy-handed approach against the defendants has rallied the explicit support of the main ETA victims associations, Ciudadanos and the Spanish Conservatives in office, as they see a link to an "ETA strategy" in the alleged assault based on Civil Guard reports.[19][20][21] On 22 October 2016, the head of COVITE Consuelo Ordoñez showed up in Altsasu along with three other individuals and a notable media presence right next to a local meeting protesting the Civil Guard's presence and the "police farce staged" in relation to the aggression; Ordoñez held out placards reading slogans in support of the Civil Guard and against 'fear'.[22] The following day the Spanish premier Mariano Rajoy stepped in stating that "there will be no impunity" for the "brutal aggression".[23]

On 18 April 2018, a gathering ranging from some hundreds to 2,500 was held in Pamplona called by several parties (PP, UPN, PSN and Ciudadanos) and two ETA victims associations to show their support to the Civil Guard officers and girlfriends subject of the aggression, also bitterly criticizing the Navarrese government for their stance on the issue.[24][25]

The Spanish Conservatives (PP) in Navarre held that the motion passed by the Parliament of Navarre criticising the alleged lack of proportion/exaggeration seen in the case was "supporting the executioners and not the victims".[26] Pablo Casado, elected head of the Spanish PP in July 2018, landed at the Civil Guard headquarters in Altsasu during the run-up to the presidency of the party, to show its support to the Civil Guard, declaring that "there can be no impartiality between thugs battering innocent people while in the bar and public servants who risk their lives battling it out for our rights and liberties".[27][lower-alpha 2]

Criticism of the process

Just the opposite, it has stirred outcry and perplexity among many political, social and institutional sectors in Altsasu, Navarre, and the Basque Country altogether, most of the times calling into question the official account of events.[28][29][30][31][32][33] In July 2017, 52 MEPs affiliated to five different parliamentary groups signed a public document requesting the intervention in the case of the president of the European Commission Jean-Claude Junker "for the sake of proportionality, equity and justice", emphasizing that the state prosecutor's prison term petition "is disproportionate, nonsensical and antidemocratic".[34] The European Commission in turn announced it would closely watch the developments in the judicial process.[35]

Amnesty International, while labelling the incident "a very serious offence", pointed to the risk of trivialization and ambiguity of the 'terrorism' charge, as well as "lack of proportion" in the indictments requested.[36] It also voiced its concern that the judicial process may be "breaching impartiality" and "discriminating the defendants based on their ideology", also adding that the accusation of 'terrorism' should have never happened. Also in June 2018, the one-time magistrate of the National Court Baltasar Garzón called the whole process an 'embarrassment' spurred by an urge to satisfy the grudges or wishes for revenge held by certain sectors in Spain, using the judiciary for the purpose.[37]

Ahead of the trial hearings in April, a rally was called for 14 April in Pamplona against the conditions in which proceedings were taking place and in support of the defendants and their families. 30,000 to 50,000 protesters turned out to the streets of Pamplona. The mayor of Pamplona Joseba Asiron on behalf of the Local Council and the representative of the regional government Maria Solana attended the mobilization, also supported by the unions LAB, ELA, CC.OO and the parties in office at Navarre. By contrast, the call was opposed by the parties UPN, PSN and PP of Navarre.[38][39][40][41]

The unexpected arrests of four defendants in Altsasu on 5 June amid strong security measures, has raised the level of indignation in Altsasu and Navarre against the judicial peculiarities and 'disproportion' surrounding the case. "A court summons would have done", the mother of a defendant went. Their parents claim the whole process is fraught with irregularities, "it is a juridical aberration".[42] They called a demonstration in Pamplona for 16 June in which they expected to exceed the figure of protesters turning out to the demonstration of 14 April.[42] The Government and Parliament of Navarre have also showed their support to the families in "their quest for justice".[43] On 16 June 30,000 to 80,000 people took to the streets in Pamplona under the banner "this is no justice" and solidarity with the young prisoners, who are held 500 km away from home.[44][45] The rally, probably the largest held at Pamplona in recent times, received a wide support of political personalities (PNV, EH Bildu, Podemos, etc.), a number of unions, and individuals coming from different places in Spain.[46][47][48][lower-alpha 3]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The movement Ospa and the campaign Alde hemendik! advocates for the retreat of the Civil Guard from Altsasu.
  2. ↑ He also labelled any governmental initiatives to bring Basque prisoners closer to their families as a 'concession', also stating that "the illness of hate, sectarianism, xenophobia we have suffered for long years in Spain, we need to start healing it", and lashing out at those who regarded his visit in Altsasu as opportunist, considering them a token of "a sick society". He went on to assert that the Basque flag "does not belong in Navarre, and Basque is not the language of Navarre", see Irazusta, A. ETB. 25-05-2018. "Polémica en Navarra con las palabras de Pablo Casado sobre el euskera"
  3. ↑ It counted on the support of 150 coaches arriving from several Catalan and Spanish locations, a strong support from the Catalan pro-independence movement, and figures such as Barricada singer Enrique Villarreal "El Drogas", singer Mikel Markez, or the physicist Pedro Miguel Etxenike.

References

  1. ↑ Parra | AP, Aritz (2018-04-16). "Terrorism accusation in Basque bar brawl reopens old wounds". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2018-04-29.
  2. ↑ Madrid, Pascale Davies in (2018-04-14). "Basque bar fight trial tests 10 years of fragile peace in the region". the Guardian. Retrieved 2018-05-02.
  3. ↑ "Caso Alsasua: piden apartar a la jueza Espejel por estar casada con un guardia civil. Noticias de España". El Confidencial (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-21.
  4. ↑ "Los jóvenes de Alsasua procesados por terrorismo recusan a la juez Espejel por estar casada con un coronel de la Guardia Civil" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-21.
  5. ↑ El fiscal acusa de terrorismo y fascismo a los agresores de Alsasua in elperiodico.com (in Spanish)
  6. ↑ Vasca, EiTB Radio Televisión Pública. "Covite denuncia a los imputados de Alsasua por delito de terrorismo". www.eitb.eus (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-07-22.
  7. ↑ España, La Nueva. "El fiscal pide 62 años a un detenido de Alsasua, 50 a otros seis y 12 a un octavo". Retrieved 2018-04-29.
  8. ↑ Barcelona, El Periódico / (2018-04-26). "Un nuevo vídeo desmiente la versión de los guardias civiles de Alsasua". elperiodico (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-15.
  9. ↑ España, La Nueva. "El fiscal pide 62 años a un detenido de Alsasua, 50 a otros seis y 12 a un octavo". Retrieved 2018-04-29.
  10. ↑ "La defensa de los detenidos en Alsasua denuncia que se les aplica la ley antiyihadista" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-15.
  11. ↑ "Rechazada la petición de los acusados de Alsasua de apartar a la jueza Espejel". El Español (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-08-11.
  12. ↑ La Audiencia Nacional no ve terrorismo en la agresión de Alsasua in elperiodico.com (in Spanish)
  13. ↑ Vasca, EiTB Radio Televisión Pública. "Las familias de los jóvenes de Alsasua califican la sentencia de 'venganza'". www.eitb.eus (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-23.
  14. ↑ Vasca, EiTB Radio Televisión Pública. "La Guardia Civil detiene a los jóvenes condenados en el caso Alsasua". www.eitb.eus (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-15.
  15. ↑ "La Fiscalía recurre la condena de Alsasua al entender que la agresión a dos guardias civiles sí fue terrorismo". eldiario.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-15.
  16. ↑ infoLibre. "La Audiencia Nacional reduce tres años la condena a un joven de Alsasua por un error en el cómputo". infoLibre.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-21.
  17. 1 2 Vázquez, Ángeles (2018-04-26). "El fiscal acusa de terrorismo y fascismo a los agresores de Alsasua". elperiodico (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-01.
  18. ↑ "Las familias de los condenados de Alsasua: "Es una venganza, un absoluto desprecio al principio de justicia"". eldiario.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-06.
  19. ↑ Cuevas, Paloma (2018-04-17). "Vivas a España y a la Guardia Civil en el acto en apoyo a los agentes de Alsasua". Libertad Digital (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-04-29.
  20. ↑ Doria, Javier Lorente (2018-04-17). "Víctimas de ETA congregan a cientos de personas en apoyo a las víctimas de Alsasua". EL PAÍS (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-04-29.
  21. ↑ Pérez, Fernando J. (2018-04-24). "La Guardia Civil relaciona la agresión de Alsasua con la estrategia de ETA". EL PAÍS (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-04-30.
  22. ↑ Press, Europa (2016-10-22). "Consuelo Ordóñez encabeza en Alsasua un "acto de rebeldía" en medio de una protesta contra la Guardia Civil". europapress.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-07-22.
  23. ↑ "Rajoy asegura que "no habrá impunidad" tras la "brutal agresión" de Alsasua". El Español (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-23.
  24. ↑ Vasca, EiTB Radio Televisión Pública. "Unas 2.500 personas apoyan a los guardias civiles agredidos en Alsasua". www.eitb.eus (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-15.
  25. ↑ Doria, Javier Lorente (2018-04-17). "Víctimas de ETA congregan a cientos de personas en apoyo a las víctimas de Alsasua". EL PAÍS (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-15.
  26. ↑ "'Bar brawl' sentence rejects terror theory but sparks outrage". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2018-06-20.
  27. ↑ "Pablo Casado denuncia en Alsasua que "no hay equidistancia entre matones y servidores públicos"". ELMUNDO (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-07-21.
  28. ↑ "Barkos avisa de que la Comisión Europea puede darle "otro tirón de orejas" a España con las agresiones de Alsasua". eldiario.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-04-29.
  29. ↑ "Uno de los presos de Altsasu, castigado por agradecer las muestras de solidaridad". Público (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-04-29.
  30. ↑ "Bilbao denuncia la 'injusticia' del caso Altsasu a menos de un mes de que empiece el juicio" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-04-29.
  31. ↑ Doria, Javier Lorente (2018-04-17). "Víctimas de ETA congregan a cientos de personas en apoyo a las víctimas de Alsasua". EL PAÍS (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-04-29.
  32. ↑ "Una marea humana pide justicia para los jóvenes de Altsasu: 'No son terroristas'". Público (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-04-29.
  33. ↑ "Alsasua, el caso de la agresión a guardias civiles que causa indignación en Navarra". La Vanguardia. Retrieved 2018-04-30.
  34. ↑ "52 eurodiputados piden a Juncker que intervenga en el caso Altsasu" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-07-22.
  35. ↑ "La Comisión Europea seguirá de cerca el juicio contra los jóvenes de Altsasu" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-07-22.
  36. ↑ Vasca, EiTB Radio Televisión Pública. "AI, sobre el 'Caso Alsasua': 'No debe existir definición vaga de terrorismo'". www.eitb.eus (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-04-29.
  37. ↑ "Alsasua: el terrorismo como obsesión". eldiario.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-20.
  38. ↑ "Miles de personas defienden en Pamplona que la agresión de Alsasua "no es terrorismo" - El Independiente". El Independiente (in Spanish). 2018-04-14. Retrieved 2018-06-21.
  39. ↑ Doria, Javier Lorente (2018-04-15). "Miles de personas defienden a los detenidos de Alsasua". EL PAÍS (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-21.
  40. ↑ "Barkos cree hay que responder a "incontestable" manifestación de caso Alsasua". eldiario.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-21.
  41. ↑ "Una marea humana pide justicia para los jóvenes de Altsasu: 'No son terroristas'" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-21.
  42. 1 2 "What Would Have Happened If the Government Had Done Nothing", Employment and Development under Globalization, Palgrave Macmillan, ISBN 9781137001412
  43. ↑ "'Bar brawl' sentence rejects terror theory but sparks outrage". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  44. ↑ Vasca, EiTB Radio Televisión Pública. "80.000 personas abarrotan Pamplona reclamando justicia para los jóvenes de Alsasua". www.eitb.eus (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  45. ↑ "Miles de personas se manifiestan en Pamplona para pedir "justicia y proporcionalidad" en el 'caso Alsasua'". eldiario.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  46. ↑ Vasca, EiTB Radio Televisión Pública. "80.000 personas abarrotan Pamplona reclamando justicia para los jóvenes de Alsasua". www.eitb.eus (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  47. ↑ "Miles de personas se manifiestan en Pamplona para pedir "justicia y proporcionalidad" en el 'caso Alsasua'". eldiario.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-18.
  48. ↑ "Una histórica marea humana pide la libertad de los jóvenes de Altsasu" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-18.
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