Crime & Justice

Spain’s top court opens terrorism case against former Catalonia president

Madrid, Feb 29 (EFE).- The Spanish Supreme Court has opened a terrorism case against former Catalan regional president and leading separatist Carles Puigdemont.

Puigdemont has lived in exile since fleeing Spain after being charged with treason and sedition for his role in organizing an unsanctioned independence referendum in 2017.

The terrorism charges relate to protests between supporters of Catalan independence and Spanish police following the referendum.

According to a court order published on Thursday, the case will also include Rubén Wagensberg, a member of the Catalan parliament who is also living in exile.

The investigation is focusing on protests in 2019 by the ‘Tsunami Democràtic’ (Democratic Tsunami) movement against a sentence that condemned several pro-independence leaders, including Puigdemont, to prison.

The Catalan separatists were later pardoned by the current Socialist-led Spanish coalition government, triggering a wave of anger in Spain, particularly among right-wing supporters and parties.

The procedure can only be handled by the Supreme Court of Spain, as the individuals in question have immunity due to their position and cannot be tried by lower courts.

The Supreme Court believes that the events that Tsunami Democràtic is being prosecuted for, including the hours-long blockade of Barcelona’s international airport, fall under the crime of terrorism.

According to lead investigator Susana Polo, Tsunami Democratic could have committed “serious crimes against freedom, physical integrity, assaults, false documents, cultural heritage, and others” classified as terrorism.

“Within certain sectors of the pro-independence movement, demonstrations were progressively increasing (…), especially through Tsunami Democràtic”, with “attempts to paralyze the airport” and “attacks on public and police buildings”, the court order stated.

The high court took the decision after analyzing a statement by Spanish National Court judge Manuel García-Castellón on the evidence that in his opinion Puigdemont and Wagensberg took part in the events under investigation.

However, the Supreme Court said that it had no jurisdiction to investigate the other 10 defendants as they had no immunity and should be tried by lower courts.

Puigdemont faces charges of misuse of public funds, which carries a sentence of up to 12 years, and sedition.

The Supreme Court’s decision comes as the Spanish Parliament is processing a law that would pardon supporters of Catalan independence that could include terrorism offenses.

Puigdemont’s Junts per Catalunya party has demanded the amnesty as a condition to supporting the left-wing minority government led by Socialist Pedro Sánchez. EFE

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