Sinn Féin spokesperson on Foreign Affairs Seán Crowe TD has expressed his mounting concern after reports of a Basque political prisoner been hospitalised while on hunger and thirst strike.

The Dublin South West TD said:

“I am seriously concerned at reports that political prisoner Patxi Ruiz has been moved from prison to an outside hospital after being on a hunger and thirst strike for a number of days.

“We reiterate the Basque political party Sortu’s condemnation of Patxi’s treatment and that of his fellow political prisoners by Spanish prison authorities as being ‘harsh’ and ‘inhumane’.

“The Spanish administration must immediately move to resolve the issues at the heart of this situation before Patxi’s condition deteriorates further. 

“We are now almost a decade into a peace process in the Basque Country and it is way past time that the Spanish government commenced a process to address outstanding issues regarding a lasting peace settlement; including the issue of Basque political prisoners.”