Basque journalist taken to trial

national | miscellaneous | news report Tuesday June 18, 2002 09:19 by Xare

On tuesday, june the 11th, Jon Abril a young journalist working for a small local TV station from the Basque Country is going to court in the National Audience accused of collaborating with terrorism. Two years ago, on august the 17th 2000, Jon Abril recorded took some footage from the street of the Spanish Court of Justice (Audiencia Nacional), the police confiscated his tape and accused him for collaborating with Basque separatist Armed group ETA (which name translated to Basque Country and Freedom).

Every time an important trial happens in any court of justice in the self called democratic world, it is normal and common to see a group of journalists with their cameras and microphones.

Two years ago, on august the 17th 2000, one young journalist from the small basque town of Bera had been taken to declare at the court of justice. The local TV station sent a couple of journalists with a TV camera. Jon Abril, was carrying the TV camera, he got asked by the police and asked for a journal permit, he hadn´t any (being a local TV channel they hardly need any). His video tape got confiscated and he is now facing the possibility of being sent to prison for six years accused of collaborating with terrorism.

The trial starts on tuesday june the 11th.

That´s what we know about it;
-Jon Abril was outside the Court of Justice and he was taking footage. Next to him there were a lot of cameras from different national spanish TV stations. Actually on that day, a lot of TV channels showed the footage taken on that day at the same place.
-The police confiscated his tape and a few days later he was called to declare. The accusation states the tape contains proofs of criminality.
-In that tape a car and it´s registration number were visible. For this reason they accuse Jon Abril, for collaborating with an armed group.
-No journalist next to Jon Abril on that day was asked to show any documentation. According to Jon, they paid attention on him as he doesn´t usually turn up at that place, unlike national TV crew that goes nearly every day.
-The Jon's lawyer is been denied access to the tape. So his lawyer will go blindfolded to the court.
-In order to prove Jon is not guilty, his lawyer will demonstrate how Ttipi Ttapa Telebista (the TV station Jon works at) systematically shadows policemen faces and their car's reg. number in order to preserve their security.

This is the biass of spanish justice when it is up to a small media to provide information.