Relatives of jailed and ‘exiled’ leaders call on president to guarantee justice

The Catalan Association for Civil Rights (ACDC) has met with president Quim Torra on Thursday. After the meeting, head of the association and partner of the imprisoned pro-independence leader Josep Rull, called on the government to work on the dropping of the case against leaders in jail or abroad.

Meritxell Lluís also demanded of the president that all those involved in the pro-independence case receive fair justice. She also recalled that there are “thousands” of activists and mayors with cases open.

After the withdrawal of the European arrest warrant against deposed president Carles Puigdemont and other members of the former government with pending cases, the association is no more hopeful. “We base ourselves on the facts, and we continue to have nine people in prisons and a huge number of open cases against social activists, mayors, councillors,” said Lluís. “There has been a withdrawal of the European arrest warrant but nothing else has changed,” she added.

Sense of neglect

Relatives of the leaders in jail and abroad expressed their feeling of “neglect” because they believe that, if there is a trial, “it will not be a fair trial.” President Quim Torra responded to these concerns saying “the government’s commitment is everything.”

"We know that the Government is working with all the open possibilities, from all possible aspects and in all meetings," said Lluís, regarding the first bi-lateral meeting between Spain and the Catalan government in seven years.

Among the fifteen family members that took part in the meeting were Blanca Bragulat, wife of Jordi Turull, as well as the sister Carles Puigdemont, among others. Some of the leaders involved in the independence case have been behind bars since last year.