CELTIC LEAGUE - PRESS INFORMATION SKOAZELL VREIZH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Skoazell Vreizh, the organisation that was set up to provide support to Breton people and their families who had been arrested or had been jailed by the French state and to protest over unjust detentions, held their General Assembly on 19th March 2006 at Cahaix, Brittany. The Celtic League has frequently reported on the work of Skoazell Vreizh over the past few years and the Kernow Branch have had some direct contact with members of the group, in their campaign to free Breton prisoners who had been unjustly detained by the French authorities. The activities of the past year were discussed, including the Plévin trial (as reported in in Kanadig - Skoazell Vreizh’s bulletin/report n°34 of June-July-August 2005) and the financial report presented. News of the prisoners who had been involved in the Plévin trial and who were taken on by Skoazell Vreizh, is as follows: Kristian Georgeault: sentenced to 11 years at the FLB-ARB 2004 trial. He was refused his request of being released on parole in March 2005, before the Plévin trial. Sentenced to 6 years at the Plévin trial in 2005, he was transferred to Ploemer jail/prison (Morbihan) in September 2005. He was allowed to spend some time with his family at Christmas. Arno Vannier: sentenced to 4 years at the 2004 trial. Sentenced to 2 years at the Plévin trial in 2005 and was remanded in August 2005. He took up again with his family and professional life in Brittany.
Gérard Bernard: jailed in June 1999 in the Plévin affair and was freed after 3 years in jail. He was categorized as ‘handicapped’ just before the June 2005 trial. Paskal Laizé: sentenced to 8 years at the 2004 trial and then 4 years at the Plévin trial. He has been operated on several times since June 2005. He was released on parole in December 2004, but was forbidden to return to Brittany. Due to his health problems he was forced to give up in the Paris region and his accommodation in a Parisian suburbs lapsed. Consequently, Paskal Laizé became unemployed and was without any accommodation, resources. The right to return to Brittany, where most of his problems would have been easily solved, was withheld. His request to have release on parole, with permission to return Brittany was refused in February 2006. He has appealed against this decision and the answer is expected to be given soon. Charlie Grall: sentenced to 6 years at the 2005 Plévin trial and will be re-tried again in appeal. The date of the appeal has still not been decided. During the General Assembly, Skoazell Vreizh also reported that they had been campaigning on a diverse range of other fronts. Some of the issues that were raised included people who were accused of damaging the flags of other regions and public places and those who had refused to pay television licences. Regarding future action, Skoazell Vreizh highlighted plans to organise an information meeting/forum in coordination with other organisations and associations from Brittany, in order to determine how Skoazell Vreizh is perceived and to explain its role and activities. A date for the meeting has yet to be decided. Elections were held for Skoazell Vreizh’s Administrative Council and Piêr Locquet was replaced by Jerome Bouthier as the new President of the organisation. Mr Bouthier is a Breton cultural activist and was one of several other young people who had been unfairly arrested by the French authorities in the ARB affair. As a result of his arrest Mr Bouthier had been kept on remand for 2 and a half years, before being released without charge at the March 2004 trial. He has been actively involved in Skoazell Vreizh since his release. (Report collated for Celtic News by Rhisiart Talebot - Kernow Branch) Secretary General's footnote: The Skoazell Vreizh General Assembly reminds us of the important role played by National organisations in supporting Celts who are imprisoned because of their struggle to assert their countries identity. Organisations such as Skoazell Vreizh can only function if they get financial and moral support from across the Celtic Nations. Please visit their web site to find out what you can do to help. (voir le site) J B Moffatt Secretary General Celtic League 27/03/06