The Egunkaria daily was founded in 1990, and until that moment had been the only newspaper published exclusively in the Basque language.

1. Lenny Neuman
DID YOU KNOW THAT THE
PrOfEssIONAls IN THE
sPANIsH sTATE
ClOsED DOWN NEWsPAPErs?

2. The Egunkaria daily was founded in 1990, and until that moment had been the
only newspaper published exclusively in the Basque language.

3. Values like independence, pluralism, progressiveness, the Basque
national perspective, and the promoting of the Basque language
were prominent in Egunkaria’s editorial line.
The publishing company was set up in 1990 with contributions of about 1,500
stakeholders.

4. In February 2003 the Spanish National Criminal Court (Audiencia Nacional)
proceeded to have the newspaper closed down and 10 people arrested: five of these
people complained that they had been subjected to torture during the days they were
being held incommunicado in the hands of the Spanish Police (Guardia Civil).
Between them, they were remanded in custody for a period totalling 30 months.
They have been
accused of
belonging to
ETA, which is
baseless and not
supported by
any evidence
whatsoever.

5. In October 2003, the Guardia Civil launched another operation. This time it was
against the Martin Ugalde Culture Park and the Egunkaria group of enterprises.
8 people were arrested and held incommunicado. Some days later, Eneko
Etxeberria –a lawyer of Egunkaria- was arrested while he was at the National
Criminal Court, and held incommunicado.

6. So now there are two trials against
Egunkaria coming up:
• one, the closing down case,
• and the other one, the financial
court case.

7. In the closing down case, the five former Egunkaria executives referred to below have been
charged. The Public Prosecutor has called for the case to be dropped once and for all owing to a
lack of evidence. Despite this, and without any prosecution having been brought by any
individuals or organisations affected, the Spanish National Criminal Court has decided that the
trial will be held, basing itself exclusively on the private prosecution brought by two organisations:
the Association of Victims of Terrorism (AVT) and Dignidad y Justicia, who are seeking prison
sentences of between 12 and 14 years for the 5 Egunkaria executives and 14-15 years´ ban on
holding public office or another position, as well as a ban on standing in political elections.
Martxelo
Otamendi
Editor of Egunkaria
Penalty being sought
against him: a prison
sentence of
14 years.
Joan Mari
Torrealdai
Chairman of Egunkaria’s
Board of Directors
Penalty being sought
against him: a prison
sentence of 14 years.
Iñaki
Uria
Chief Executiv
of Egunkaria
Penalty being sought
against him: a prison
Txema
Auzmendi
Secretary of the
Egunkaria Board of
Directors
Penalty being sought
against him: a prison
Xabier
Oleaga
Former deputy editor of
Egunkaria
Penalty being sought
against him: a prison

8. The trial will be held in Madrid,
beginning on 15 December.

9. A trial date for the financial court case has not been decided yet. In that case, 8
people have been charged with falsification of accounts and tax fraud (three of
them face charges in the closing down case as well); in other words, for financial
offences alone. For this, prison sentences totalling 184 years and fines
amounting to 235 million euros are being sought.
Joan Mari Torrealdai
Chairman of Egunkaria’s Board
of Directors
Penalty being sought against
him: a prison sentence of 26
years and 4 months, and a fine of
32,891,200 euros.
• He faces charges in the
closing down case as well.
Iñaki Uria
Chief Executive
of Egunkaria
Penalty being sought against
him: a prison sentence of 26
years and 4 months, and a fine of
32,891,150 euros.
• He faces charges in the
closing down case as well.
Txema Auzmendi
Secretary of the Egunkaria
Board of Directors
Penalty being sought against him:
a prison sentence of 26 years and
4 months, and a fine of 32,891,150
euros.
• He faces charges in the
closing down case as well.

10. Joxe Mari Sors
Member of Egunkaria’s Board
of Directors
Penalty being sought against
him: a prison sentence of 26
years and 4 months, and a fine
of 32,891,150 euros.
Ainhoa Albisu
Member of staff in Egunkaria’s
Administration Department
Penalty being sought against
her: a prison sentence of 26
years and 4 months, and a fine
of 32,891,150 euros.
Mikel Sorozabal
Member of staff in Egunkaria’s
Administration Department
Penalty being sought against
him: a prison sentence of 21
years and 9 months, and a fine
of 27,265,727 euros.
Begoña Zubelzu
Member of staff in Egunkaria’s
Administration Department
Penalty being sought against her:
a prison sentence of 17 years and
2 months, and a fine of 21,640,933
euros.
Fernando Furundarena
Member of staff in Egunkaria’s
Administration Department
Penalty being sought against him:
a prison sentence of 13 years and
3 months, and a fine of 21,167,546
euros.

11. Since the closing down, the
Basque Country has witnessed
many acts of solidarity as have
many places abroad.
On the left, a massive demonstration in favour of Egunkaria
which took place on 22 February 2003. On the right, a call to
support Egunkaria in Pamplona’s San Fermin festivities on 10
July of the same year.

12. Among the expressions of support which have taken place abroad,
we have to emphasize those in Catalonia…
Support for Egunkaria at the Church of Our Lady of Pi (Barcelona) on 10 March 2003.

13. in Madrid…
…and in Brussels.
On 22 February 2005, 22 members of the European Parliament asked for the file on the Egunkaria Case to be closed.
They were members of 4 political groups (the Independence and Democracy Group, European Free Alliance, Greens
and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe) and an independent member of the parliament.
On 19 October 2005, 61 members of the lower and upper chambers of the Spanish Parliament adopted a resolution asking for the
file on the Egunkaria Case to be closed.

14. Internationally, the media response to the closing down of Egunkaria may
have been even greater than in any other Basque case.

15. What we are facing is a serious curb on freedom of expression, on pluralism of
information, and on the right to develop the Basque language and culture, in
addition to an assault on human rights as a result of the torture endured.
Theo Van Boven
In 2004, the UN Special
Rapporteur on Torture published a
report calling on Spain to stop
using torture.

16. Please help us spread information about this
case and put an end to this injustice.

17. Thank you very much for your attention.

18. FURTHER INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT:
www.egunkaria.info/international