Dear friends,

Please find below a call for urgent action we from the Spanish CCC, who are fighting censorship of Spanish television about a film on working conditions in sweatshops producing for Spanish brands in Morocco.

"The Spanish Television, (RTVE), continues refusing to broadcast the documentary on the appalling conditions in workplaces in Morocco producing clothes for famous Spanish retailers. According to the documentary, four of the biggest Spanish retailers; Inditex (owner of Zara), Mango, Mayoral and El Corte Ingles produce in Morroco, in some cases in "clandestine" workshops, in unhealthy, unsafe and undignified conditions. The documentary, filmed inside the factories with hidden camera, also interviews unionists and workers, including some minors. Clean Clothes Campaign in Spain released a report on the same issue and with similar conclusions 2 months ago, after a year of research on the ground. An english summary of this report can be found at
http://www.cleanclothes.org/publications/02-03-morocco.htm

Please find below a rough translation in English of the letter we are circulating in Spanish. We urged you to send a copy of the original letter (also below) to the director of the Spanish Television, (Mr. José Antonio Sánchez secr_director.ep@rtve.es ) and a copy to the director of RTVE- Cataluña (Miss Teresa Carreras, dir_informativos.b.tve@rtve.es) Please do not forget to sent a copy and any reply to Clean Clothes Campaign-Spain, ropalimpia@pangea.org

Thank you elena

Elena Estrada
Coordinadora de la Campaña Ropa Limpia
Web: http://www.ropalimpia.org
Tel. 34 93 441 53 35 - Fax. 34 93 443 20 69
Bisbe Laguarda 4 - 08001 BARCELONA

Dear Mr. José Antonio Sánchez

The undersigning persons want to express their protest for the censorship of the documentary of Linea-900 called “Trapos Sucios”. The documentary was withdrawn at the last moment reportedly for not having “the rigour and quality that RTVE demands”, as the Director of Spanish Television (RTVE) declared.

We believe that the real argument is that the documentary is politically uncomfortable, because Linea-900 has proved to be professional in other occasions. The documentary shows, in structured, well researched and organized way, the working-conditions of some Spanish companies that produce in Morroco. Workers and trade unionists are interviewed, and the workplace is filmed with hidden camera, in particular these of Corte Inglés, Mayoral, Inditex (Zara) and Mango. Please note that some of these companies are or have been advertizers at RTVE.

Moreover, we are aware of the activities of the Clean Clothes Campaign, (CCC) in Spain, co-ordinated by SETEM, and with the support of 70 spanish NGOs. We know of their recent report about the implication of biggest Spanish companies in appalling working conditions in several garment workshops in Morroco. The Spanish CCC report has been researched on the ground in Morocco one year, including interviews with trade unionist and workers. Conclusions are similar to those of the “Trapos Sucios” documentary. We are sure that the film would inform us in a documented and rigorous way a subject that is important for thousands of people.

This is why we express our concern and protest for this censorship and violation of rights of RTVE, not only of the freedom of expression but also of the right of all citizens to receive truthful and plural information of the public television.

Yours sincerely,

Sr. José Antonio Sánchez
Director de RTVE

Los abajo firmantes quisiéramos manifestar nuestra enérgica protesta por la censura del reportaje de Linea-900 titulado "Trapos sucios". Reportaje que TV2 tenía previsto emitir el 26 de mayo del 2002 y fue precipitadamente retirado de la programación según declaró el entonces director de RTVE González-Ferrari en el Congreso de los Diputados porque no tenia "el rigor y la calidad que exige TVE".

Creemos se trata de una censura informativa de un reportaje políticamente incómodo, ya que Linea-900 ha demostrado públicamente su profesionalidad. El reportaje documenta, de una forma contrastada, las condiciones sociolaborales en que algunas empresas Españolas producen en Tánger, mediante entrevistas a los trabajadores, sindicalistas y filmación en el interior de los talleres productores en particular para El Corte Inglés, Mayoral, Inditex (Zara), Mango. Nótese que algunas de estas empresas, como se señalo en las preguntas dirigida ante el Congreso de los Diputados, Madrid, 30 de mayo de 2002, son o han sido anunciantes de RTVE.

Además, conocemos el trabajo de la Campaña Ropa Limpia en España, coordinada por SETEM con el apoyo de 70 ONG, así como su reciente Informe sobre la responsabilidad de conocidas marcas españolas en las precarias condiciones existentes en muchos talleres de confección en Tánger. El
informe fue elaborado in situ durante mas de un año de entrevistas y análisis de información y sus conclusiones no distan de las reflejadas en “Trapos sucios”. No dudamos que el reportaje "Trapos sucios" de Linea-900 venía a ofrecer una respuesta documentada y contrastada a un tema que preocupa hoy a miles de ciudadanos españoles.

Por este motivo manifestamos nuestra más sincera preocupación y nuestra protesta por esta atropello de TVE no solo a la libertad de expresión sino también al derecho de todos los ciudadanos a recibir de los medios públicos una información veraz y plural.

Suyo sinceramente,