Yesterday the Basque newspaper Gara published a report from the European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights (ELDH) that questions the legitimacy of accusing Basque Nationalist Action and the Communist Party of the Basque Lands of being successors to Batasuna, a party that "has still not received a fair trial." ELDH also believes the banning of parties could "further hinder a political change by democratic means" in the Basque Country.

The report also mentions the 18/98 trial, which resulted in prison sentences last December for 47 politicians, journalists and representatives of social movements for "supporting a terrorist organization," a notion which, ELDH claims, was not supported by sufficient evidence. According to ELDH, the Spanish Government "is criminalizing" secessionist politics in the Basque Country.

ELDH also announced its intention to create a commission to determine whether "the ruling on Basque activists and the prohibition of political parties conforms to European and international legislation."

Further information:

• Gara: Abogados europeos muestran "gran preocupación" por las ilegalizaciones y anuncian que las analizarán
• Declaració de l'ELDH: "La Democrácia en España y la prohibición de Partidos políticos Vascos"
• Lloc de l'ELDH