The coincidence in a meeting in Valencia between the foreign ministers of Spain and Poland served to put the focus back on the case of the journalist Pablo González, imprisoned for 15 months in a Polish jail on charges of being a Russian spy. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, showed that there is no diplomatic tension in this regard and agreed with his Polish counterpart that the accusations against González are “very serious”, while pointing out that “his fundamental rights, especially the defense, are being guaranteed.
These statements have taken place in a trilateral meeting between Spain, Romania and Poland in Valencia. Asked about it, Albares has indicated that he maintains a continuous relationship with Poland in connection with the Pablo González case.
“Every time I see my good colleague, the Polish Foreign Minister, we discuss the issue of Pablo González. What we have always verified is that his fundamental rights are being respected. He has a Spanish lawyer and a Polish lawyer. Poland offered him a public defense attorney,†Albares said.
From there, the minister insisted that the Basque journalist of Russian origin is subject to very severe accusations and, once again, stressed that his fundamental rights are being respected.
“He knows the charges against him, which are very serious, and whenever he has requested we have been able to exercise consular assistance. He has had 11 visits from our consulate and our ambassador. The Spanish ambassador in Warsaw has my instructions to follow the situation of Pablo González. We are talking about a person who is facing serious charges, whose fundamental rights, especially defense rights, are fully guaranteed and everything is being fulfilled according to Polish lawâ€, he pointed out.
Albares’ statements have coincided with those of the Polish Foreign Minister, Zbigniew Rau, who has indicated that his right to legal defense is guaranteed against “very serious” accusations.
“The accusations are very serious, very serious, the case is still under investigation, and the prosecution has received a court order to continue the detention, the arrest,” he said.
The Polish minister has also referred to when the trial of González, who has been in preventive detention for 15 months, could be held, and has indicated that it will take place “relatively soon”.
“It is in our interest and that of the Government of Spain that this case conclude, but it requires that the prosecution be well prepared, it is an essential condition to deliver justice in a trial,” he concluded.
Pablo González was arrested in Poland during the early hours of February 27-28 of last year, accused of being a spy at the service of Moscow, and remains imprisoned in a maximum security unit. From his family and professional environment, they demand a fair trial without delay, and that “basic rights” be respected, such as the right to communicate with their children.
