Spanish judge orders imprisonment of mayor of Arrasate

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Ino Galparsoro and Iñigo Iruin. Photo: EFE

Spain’s High Court judge Baltasar Garzón announced on Wednesday his decision to imprison the mayor of the Basque town of Arrasate, Ino Galparsoro. He accuses her of collaborating with the Basque armed group ETA and breaking the ruling that orders the suspension of all political activities of the Basque leftist party ANV.

Garzón ordered her imprisonment for taking part in a press conference on April 23 together with the mayor of Hernani Marian Beitialarrangoitia (she did not speak during that conference), for proposing a vote of censure at a plenary meeting and for promoting abstention in last general election.

The judge distinguishes between mayor’s individual activities and the activities she makes as ANV representative and he reaffirms she can not act as the representative of a suspended political party.

Regarding to this subject, Garzón thinks that the mayor “got involved in the development of the common strategy to contribute with the aims of the armed group and it is clear that she broke the ruling, according to which her party can not participate in political activities”.

Galparsoro has been moved to the prison of Soto del Real (Madrid).