Thousands march for jailed Basque leaders

Tens of thousands of people have taken part in a march through the northernSpanish city of Bilbao to demand the release from prison of twenty-three Basque nationalist politicians.

It was the first big demonstration since the Basque leaders were each jailed for seven years early this month, for collaborating with the outlawed separatist group, ETA.

They are all members of Herri Batasuna, the Basque political party.

The march went ahead despite a call by the government to boycott the protest.

Organisers played a recording of a message sent from prison by one of the Basque leaders.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service