Case study: Spanish media and Basque reality

A couple of hours ago I was watching The Simpsons at Spanish broadcaster Antena 3 and, at the publicity break, they included a mini-informative, which opened with the presenter saying: "Police arrest ETA member Zigor Goikoetxea in Getxo, who was sentenced to two years of prision for death threats against PP councilor Marisa Arrue".

My first reaction: increased attention. Another arrest in a nearby town, maybe someone I know?

Second reaction: What, two years?! This must be totally unrelated to ETA, because they get between 10 years and de facto life sentences. Also, he seems already sentenced and not any runaway.

Third reaction: What the heck! It's that poor guy who was defamed by that fascist and could not defend himself in court in spite that not even police would support the accusation. Wait, isn't the same one whose farmhouse was graffittied with death threats by anonymous cowards?

Yes.

Zigor Goikoetxea was accused of "death threats" in a public event some years ago by local councilor Marisa Arrue. She could not present any witness.

Not only that: her own testimony was self-contradictory: initially she declared she had been called "torturer" but two days later she instead claimed "death threats". In the trial, at the Spanish special tribunal Audiencia Nacional, nobody could confirm her account, no matter the supposed threats would have been made in a public market full of people, including many policemen. But the Neoinquisition did not care and considered the threats "proven" anyhow.

Zigor Goikoetxea at his trial

However the tribunal declared him innocent of ETA membership.

In fact, he would not have been free otherwise and no arrest would have happened yesterday night.

But the Spanish media don't care: for them, as for the major political parties and the inquisitorial tribunals, "all is ETA" and dare sue them if you think they are wrong. The last one who sued the Ertzaintza was followed, arbitrarily arrested at a tavern and falsely accused of attack against authority... and, of course, gratuitously beaten.

I also have personal experience on such matters (arbitrary arrest, false accusations upheld by court against evidence). It's the daily bread of the Basque commoner. But I got just a fine, while the case of this poor guy is extreme.

And the Spanish media even defame him, presenting this abuse as some sort of "police success in the war against terrorism". Please!

And then they will fill their dirty corrupt mouths with words like "democracy" and "human rights"... I can't stand this ugly lie anymore!

Sources for the details of Goikotxea's case and photo: Gara (link 1, link 2).