Basque journalist Pablo Gonzalez was arrested on 28 February in Poland while covering the effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on charges of carrying out activities for Russian military intelligence, for which he could face up to ten years in prison.
On 23 August, the Rzeszów Court of Appeal rejected the complaint filed by Pablo Gonzalez’s lawyer in Poland against the decision to extend the Basque journalist’s detention for a further three months.
Until today, he is still being held solitary confinement in practice. His family has requested permission to visit him in prison, but to date has not received any official response, nor has telephone contact been allowed during these six months. Since Pablo Gonzalez’s arrest, he has only received five letters from his family, and all of them very late. So far he has only been able to contact his lawyer and the Spanish State Consul.
EUROF ask the Polish authorities to release Pablo Gonzalez without further delay and without charge. We find it unacceptable that a state should detain a journalist in such an arbitrary manner and without any evidence. It is an attack on press freedom and democracy and we, therefore, urge both the Spanish state and the European Union to do everything in their hands to put an end to this injustice once and for al.
