June 13, 2019
The news coming from Madrid could not be more disturbing; the National High Court of Spain has denied the dismissal of the case against the Spanish internationalist fighter Ángeles Maestro and two other comrades for sending funds to the Palestinian people and has ordered the opening of a trial “for collaboration with a terrorist organization”.
Ángeles Maestro is a former communist deputy, doctor, writer and above all an exemplary anti-fascist and anti-war militant, who made internationalism her permanent cause. She has participated in solidarity actions in all the countries of the Middle East attacked by US imperialism and by its Zionist ally the Israeli government. In Palestine, in Iraq, in Syria, together with the Saharawi people, but also in support of the revolutions and the peoples of Latin America, such as those of Venezuela, Cuba and Bolivia, Maestro was always in the front row bringing his unconditional support, putting her body on the line when necessary or contributing from the intellectual field since she is also a member of the Network of Intellectuals, Artists and Social Movement in Defense of Humanity (REDH).
Now, the Spanish National Court, that is a continuation of Francoism, has refused to dismiss her and two other colleagues accusing them of having collected money and providing it in 2014 and 2015 to the historic Palestinian fighter Leila Khaled, when she made a speaking tour with public meetings in Madrid and Barcelona.
The accusation is really pathetic because these funds, which did not exceed 8,500 euros and had been collected through the collaboration of many people, were destined for the reconstruction of schools and hospitals, which as is known suffer from lack of materials and are in bad conditions due to the ongoing repression of Israeli in the West Bank and the bombings of Gaza.
The fact that Leila Khaled is a leader of the PFLP has been the basis used by the Israeli association “The Spain Lawfare Project” to denounce the three activists, and immediately this accusation was accepted by the High National Court.
Now, Angeles Maestro and her two companions face a trial that seeks not only to send them to prison but to condemn any kind of action in solidarity with the noble cause of the Palestinian people.
For all these reasons, those of us who subscribe to the following declaration express our solidarity with comrade Ángeles Maestro and the other two activists since they are undoubtedly persecuted for defending the cause of freedom and self-determination of Palestine. At the same time of repudiating any attempt to restrict freedom of expression and opinion, we call on all those people from different parts of the world who are outraged by this type of subjugation to human rights to show their solidarity with this case.
Stop the persecution of those who fight against the occupation in Palestine!
We demand the dismissal and closure of the case against Angeles Maestro and others involved.
Manifesto Against the Criminalization of Solidarity with the Palestinian people
In view of the decision of the National High Court to first prosecute and after denying the dismissal of the case against Angeles Maestro and two other companions for sending funds to the Palestinian people, at the same time that it has ordered the opening of the Ordinary Summary for collaboration with a terrorist organization, we the undersigned declare that:
The accusation against the three comrades for collaborating with a terrorist organization, based on the collection of funds for the reconstruction of sanitary facilities destroyed by the Israeli army, which also caused thousands of deaths and injuries in 2014 and 2015, lacks any legitimacy. The penalties provided in the Penal Code range from two to ten years’ of imprisonment and fines of three times the amount sent.
The pretext used of handing over these funds to the Palestinian leader Leila Khaled, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine considered by the European Union a terrorist organization, is unacceptable. Leila Khaled is a symbol of her people’s resistance and is invited with certain frequency – as on the occasion mentioned – by city councils such as those of Barcelona and Madrid and other academic and social institutions. During these visits she has made public statements in defense of the Palestinian people’s struggle against the Israeli occupation, without their activity having been in any way hindered.
The decision of the National High Court, as well as the persecution carried out against members and institutions of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement is an attempt against the legitimate feelings of solidarity with the Palestinian people that is widespread in our society.
For all this we demand:
That all accusations against the aforementioned comrades be withdrawn, as well as the cessation of all repression against the activity of solidarity with the Palestinian people.
That the Spanish State cease to protect legal initiatives promoted by the State of Israel, which seeks to achieve not only impunity for the massacres perpetrated against the Palestinian people, but also to silence the voices and solidarity activities that denounce them.
Finally, we call on all kinds of social, trade union and political organizations not to be afraid and to intensify the work of their legitimate solidarity with the Palestinian people. We also call on the media, that defines itself as independent, to break the silence that surrounds both the Israeli attacks against Palestine and the repression against solidarity.
To add to the statement send your name to the following email address: [email protected]
To see all signatures click in the following source
Source: Resumen Latinoamericano , translation Resumen Latinoamericano, North America buerau