Two Basque militants, Jose Antonio Garmendia and Angel Otaegui, are presently in jail in Spain awaiting imminent execution by the barbaric method of Harotting After a peaceful demonstration in the Regent Street offices of Iberia Airlines calling on the Spanish Government to grant immediate clemency and halt the planned execution, 19 British socialists were arrested and charged with 'conspiring together and with other persons to enter as a trespasser the premises of the Iberia London W.1. Airlines, 169 Regent Street, of the Franco regime.
TO in the recent cases ot tnesnrewsbury building workers and the Iranian 21 - to be a serious threat to the democratic liberties of the British working class.
The real 'conspirators' in this instance are not ourselves but the Franco regime in Spain, a regime which condemns political prisoners to death; has hundreds of political prisoners locked up in jail; does not permit te riant to strike, te organise, or the freedom of expression; which in the last few weeks has closed down five newspapers whose views it did not like; and which, in the last few days, has shot five workers demonstrating in support of Garmendia and Otaegui.
rurtner we must ask wheter ue British state and police are not also part of this conspiracy. The charge of con spiracy can only be meant to prevent further actions against the vicious policies We demand that the Labour Govern ment take a stand. We call on the Labour Government tO 1. publicly and unilaterally oppose the death sentences on Garmendia and Otagu and all other Spanish political prisoners; 2. give its full backing to-the resoluion passea overwnermingy auue recen Trades Union Congress, which called for "support for those in Spain fighting for an end to Fascism and the establishment of democracy': 3. drop the charges on the Iberian 19, and end the use of the conspiracy laws.
rurmer we wish to state nat ut charges upon us will not deter us from Tiontina tor tne tina overinrow o Franco's regime of fascist conspirators. We will continue to struggle within Brit ain for full solidarity to be given to the struggle of Spanish workers and in defence of all Spanish political prisoners.
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İGARMENDIA LOTAEGUI