The Assembly of Delegates of the International PEN meeting at its 72nd International Congress in Berlin, 22nd – 28th May, 2006,
Expresses concern that the historian, publisher, writer and Basque PEN Club member, Iñaki Egaña, was detained for 24 hours on March 26th, 2006, by police at New York airport as he was entering the United States of America, and was subsequently refused permission to enter the country, without being given any explanation, and forced to return home,
Profoundly alarmed by the fact that the police not only stopped the writer, Mr. Egaña, himself, but also his two young children, and that no explanation was forthcoming,
Aware that Mr. Egaña was keen to finish the historical research he is currently conducting and for this purpose was only intending to examine the private documents belonging to the writer Mario Salegi, deceased,
Deeply concerned that he was given no explanation during the time he was detained, and that when he arrived at an airport in Spain and was handed over to the Spanish police, he was released on the basis of the report filed by the United States police,
Condemns the fact that Mr. Egaña was regarded as de facto guilty without any kind of formal proof or denunciation being provided, and was thus deprived of any opportunity to defend himself,
Noting that the exclussion of Mr. Egaña not only undermined the freedom he needs to engage in his intellectual activities, but also compromised his research work,
Calls on the Government of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country to request the Government of the United States of America for an explanation as to why a Basque writer was prevented from entering the country with the aim of conducting research work,
Urges the Government of the United States of America
To explain why Mr. Egaña was refused entry into the United States of America and what the grounds for this refusal were.
To allow him to enter the United States so that he can pursue his research work on Mario Salegi or any other subject relating to his work, whenever the need arises.
