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UN: Spain violated the political rights of former Catalan leaders

Politiko 2022-09-01 08:29:26

UN: Spain violated the political rights of former Catalan leaders

Spain violated the political rights of former Catalan leaders in connection with the 2017 secession attempt, according to the latest UN findings. The report states that Madrid should not have suspended the officials before punishing them.

The former vice president of Catalonia's regional government, Oriol Junqueras, and three former regional ministers, Raül Romeva, Josep Rull and Jordi Turull, were all jailed.

Spain's Constitutional Court ruled that the referendum was invalid and the four were initially found guilty of "rebellion". In October 2019, the charges were reduced to "insurrection".

The decision to charge them with rebellion and to suspend them from public office before any punishment "was not based on reasonable and objective grounds provided for by law", the UN committee said.

The charge of "rebellion" required a "violent uprising against the constitutional order", he added, noting that the four leaders had asked Catalonia to "remain strictly peaceful".

"The decision to suspend elected officials must be based on clear and predictable laws that create reasonable and objective grounds for limiting political rights."

The group of 18 experts published its findings on Wednesday following a complaint filed by Catalonia's regional leaders in 2018. Nine of the 12 total people convicted of the failed independence push received prison terms. They were pardoned in 2021, but are still barred from holding office.

Spain "must end its repressive policies and cannot continue to use the law and criminal processes to confront the peaceful demand for the right to self-determination," a joint statement said.

Source: Euronews

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